Love's True Test
by The Voodoo Shadowhunter
Summary: Takes place after CoLS, where Alec finds out that Magnus has been kidnapped. The story follows Alec as he tried to find Magnus and the people he has to go through to get to be with the love of his life forever.
1. Dreams

It had been months since he had seen him. Each day seemed like he was closer to death than he already was. Alec Lightwood, with his ink black hair which he had run his hand through as he paced the murky abandoned train station, wondered if Magnus would actually show. He had not called upon the High Warlock of Brooklyn in those months while he had faced many other inner demons along the way. Alec had felt like this had happened many times before. Why did it feel this way? That he had come into this very place, to only pace back and forth, wondering if Magnus would show. Alec had come to this very spot, where Magnus said they would be no more. The place where he felt his heart pounding each and every time he waited for the cursed two hours. He had, this one very time, decided to reach out to his former boyfriend. To hope that he was going to show was ludicrous, but he had to have faith no?

Alec, being a Shadowhunter, was supposed to have tons of it didn't he? The questions buzzing in his mind was driving him mad. He had been thinking so much that it had caused even his mother and father to worry about him. They were ones who never paid attention to what he did, but Isabelle, his baby sister had been the one to pick up more than anyone that he was upset. Alec had spent more time in the training room. He had been working harder to be just as good as Jace. While Jace practiced at his normal pace with Clary, teaching her to be a Shadowhunter, he worked on his own. He wanted to be just drowning out his worries in all of the weaponry. When a case had sprung up, a demonic sighting, Alec was the first one there. What could he do otherwise? If he didn't keep himself busy, the thoughts of Magnus leaving him were the last thoughts that lingered in his mind.

Alec stopped his pacing finally. Gripping his stele from his pocket, he heard footsteps. Surely there was no way Magnus had decided to appear. There was even the fact that Camille was dead, so this wasn't her hideout any longer. Alec let his body slip into the shadows , waiting like a cat to see what prey was to appear before him.

Glancing slightly behind the wall he hid behind, he could see the figure come down the steps. A hooded figure, who was slender, but slightly built at the same time. There was something else that Alec could tell was familiar about this…person. The figure pulled its hood back, and Alec dropped his stele in surprise.

It was Magnus.

The man's jet black hair was spiked in random places, his cat eyes blazing as it scanned the area. Alec didn't know what to do. The sound of the stele dropping created an echo that made Magnus create a blue flaming ball in his hands. Clearly Magnus didn't expect anyone down here either.

"Alec?" Magnus asked as the warlock squinted his eyes to look further into the darkness.

Alec thought about stepping back and not letting him see him, but he couldn't help but take that step forward, the moonlight shedding light to his features.

The weakness of Magnus' being clear as Alec looked to the warlock, who stood, almost letting a smile curl onto his face as he saw those blue eyes shining back at him. He looked so much like his great grandmother. The sister to Will Herondale. Magnus thought of them often when he was with Alec and his crew of miscreants, but Alec was different than all of them; so pure, so innocent. It made Magnus want to embrace him already.

Alec watched Magnus once more as they started the speech that seemed all so familiar, yet not at the same time.

"I miss you." Alec blurted, his mind smacking him for such a blunt statement.

"I miss you too, Alec." Magnus replied, "But that doesn't change what you tried to do." Magnus added, referring to when Alec tried to find a way for Magnus to lose his immortality.

"I know I messed up Magnus. But people make mistakes! I want you, I want you forever and always. It is weird, I thought I wouldn't want someone other than Jace, but you proved to me that I can love someone more than anything possible. Yes, he's my _parabatai_, but that doesn't change love. Love is what I want from you. All I want to give you. I don't care if I just live my life with you and that's it. These months have been torture. Spending each breath without you, that's taking away the time I have with you. Please…_please_ forgive me." Alec pleaded. He had never spoken so honestly before. The oldest Lightwood was normally introverted and didn't say anything. But now, he wanted Magnus to know his whole heart. He wanted Magnus to never question his intentions ever again.

"It's not that simple Alexander," Magnus said, looking to the ground.

Alec wouldn't accept that. Walking up to Magnus, he kissed him hard. Letting his hands grip the back of his head, pulling him closer. The heat between them intensified as Magnus pushed into the kiss as well. It seemed like hours, the taste, the smell, all the lost senses the two had once had came back like no time had passed. Once he parted, Alec let his eyes open to stare into Magnus' cat-like ones.

Magnus parted his mouth, breath raspy and short, staring to speak. "I—"

Alec leapt up from his bed. The dream always ended like that. Looking to his bed, it was soaked with sweat, again like every night. Alec had this dream every night since his parting from Magnus. It was torture, but somehow he felt comforted by the fact that Magnus never left him. He wished he knew how, but those dreams were always so vivid, he didn't know how it was possible. Alec slipped out of his bed and walked toward his bathroom, bare torso and went to shower the sweat away.

Magnus opened his eyes slowly from his own bed. The spell was always so draining, but he needed to see Alec. The only way to see one another was through that dream. He got to feel Alec's lips once more. Every night he was able to get to feel Alec's touch. The projection into his dream was only temporary, and he knew that it caused Alec pain, but he wished he could just escape the idea that Alec was doing this to him. In hopes that they could one day reunite, Magnus had to only settle for this spell…to see him in his dreams.


	2. Breakfast Surprises

Alec Lightwood scratched the back of his head as he walked down the hall from his room toward the kitchen. Food was always a hard thing in the Institute, his sister Isabella had a weird obsession with thinking that she could cook, and he didn't think that she should continue her odd little obsession. Their mother had made sure she was a Shadowhunter for a reason. Not so she could stay behind and be the cook of the house. Though he had to admire her dedication to trying to cook, Isabelle was one of the most headstrong people he knew, aside from Jace. Alec tugged on his black t-shirt as he tried to make it look like he had not woken up from his dream from Magnus.

Sitting at the table, with his legs propped up on the table, Jace, with his messy blonde hair, almost like a lion's mane, sat with his hands clasped on his stomach. Alec stared at his _parabatai_ and wondered what it must be like for him at the moment. Having heaven's fire inside his body, not being able to touched, especially by Clary, his girlfriend, seemed to be hard for him. Alec thought that, no matter how much it burned him to see that Jace and Clary could not touch one another, they had one another. The memory flashed in his mind again of his dream. How vivid it had all been to the feel Magnus touch him again. Shaking his head, he suddenly heard Jace's baritone voice cut through them both.

"Morning sleeping beauty, it's already eleven. Had a rough night? I mean, those sheets seem to be very daunting." Jace replied with a smile.

Isabelle took the spatula from her hand and waked her adoptive brother on the arm with it.

"Leave him be Jace. Did you have the dream again, Alec?" Isabelle asked, her ink black hair tied into a bun.

Alec's eyes widened for a moment before he closed them, letting out his breath that he didn't know he was holding.

"Oh, _that_ dream…" Jace said, looking down to the floor. Jace was not a harsh or cruel person. When it came to Alec and Isabelle, he saw nothing but them, and they were his siblings. He wouldn't let them down, and especially Alec. He was stronger than his brother. He was bonded to him. There was nothing that Jace wouldn't do for Alec and vice versa. Alec watched as Jace glanced at his _parabatai _rune and Alec did the same. They knew everything about one another.

"Yes, I had that dream." Alec said, plopping into a chair beside Jace. "What are you 'making'?" Alec asked, looking at her concoction cautiously over Isabelle's arms.

"Pancakes" Isabelle said smiling. "Who wants some?" she asked, a bright smile on the girl's face.

Alec, who was always nicer than Jace in these situations shrugged. "Why not?"

Jace on the other hand put up a hand and turned his head away, "I'd rather be in a room full of ducks."

Alec couldn't help but chuckle. Jace's fear of ducks seemed always so unprecedented, but he didn't care much. It was nothing but hilarity to him. Alec took the plate of pancakes and poured syrup over the pancakes before taking a mouthful and felt his mouth gag at the distaste of the pancakes, but Alec played it off smoothly and played with the pancakes as if he was getting ready to eat another bite.

"Where are Mom and Dad?" Alec asked, knowing that their parents were still upset with one another and their separation was a little hard for especially Isabelle, but she was taking it well so far.

"Mom is back in Idris, dealing with the new Accords. They are finally finishing them up, and settling how the new Clave is to be set up." Isabelle explained, keeping her eyes on the pancakes suddenly. Alec didn't mean to bring up their dad. His affair had been nothing short of scandalous for the whole family.

They had heard in their past that the Lightwoods had had somewhat of a sketchy past. Their great great great grandfather had died of demon pox due to the fact that he had had many affairs with Downworlders. But it seemed now that the Lightwoods would always have a tainted name since his parents had joined the Circle and had been with Valentine and put into exile and now this?

Alec couldn't help but sigh at the idea that his family was a mess. Alec was no better than the rest of them he supposed. He had confided in Camille Belcourt, Magnus' past lover, the vampire, to give him the way to make Magnus human. Alec was just as tainted as the rest of his family. How could he be so naïve? Alec had thought that he was raised right, but in the end? The Lightwoods were cursed. The name itself was cursed. No pleasantries could ever be used between them.

Hearing a ringing of the Institute bell, the three teenagers looked to one another and exchanged looks of confusion. No one ever rang the bell unless they were Downworlders.

Going to the door of the New York Institute, the Alec reached for the door, with Jace standing at his flank and Isabelle behind Jace, gripping her whip in her hand. Opening the door, Alec saw a man and a woman standing before him. The male looked young, almost seventeen, if not older, but yet, his eyes were so familiar. Then the girl next to the male looked no older than sixteen. Alec looked between the two, not sure what was going on.

"Can I help you?" Alec asked, his stele throbbing in his back pocket, ready to pop out in a second's notice.

"It's more like us helping you Alec." The male replied.

"I know that voice…" Jace said, trying to push past Alec without his skin brushing up against Alec's. "Brother Jeremiah? But that's impossible…" Jace said.

"Not quite impossible Jace Herondale." Brother Jeremiah replied. "But you can call me Jem now."

"It's Lightwood." Jace quipped, but that wasn't the case. Looking to the woman who was silent, she seemed to be taking in the three teenagers in front of her before snapping out of whatever trance she was in.

"Forgive me; I am Tessa Her-Carstairs." Tessa replied, smiling at Jem for a moment. "New last name, still getting used to it." She replied with a laugh.

"Not that it isn't nice to meet new and, semi new people, what are you two doing here?" Jace asked, looking to the two of them.

It was then that Tessa and Jem's faces were from pleasant to worse. "We came to see Alec actually." Tessa replied.

"Me? Why me?" Alec asked.

"It's Magnus," Tessa started. "He's been kidnapped."


	3. The Power of Tessa Carstairs

"What do you mean he's kidnapped?" Alec asked, his brows furrowed into a straight line. "He's Magnus Bane, he doesn't get kidnapped." Alec explained.

Jace couldn't help but want to put a hand on his _parabatai_'s shoulder, to console in any way he could. Jace wasn't the kind of guy who usually consoled in this way, but he wasn't a total jerk. He liked to help where he could, especially his brother. The blonde watched Alec. The moment that Magnus was said to be missing, every muscle in his body tensed. His arms clenched, and his hands were in fists, trying hard not to break what his composure currently was. Alec seemed to be putting on the act that Jace usually put on. The act that nothing phased him or made him upset. No tone change in his voice. But Jace knew, he knew that in the depths of that voice, his heart was breaking. He knew it because Jace had been the exact same way when it came to Clary.

"I know, it seems strange, but it is very unlike Magnus to leave his apartment in the state he left it in. There was a struggle, an obvious one. There was also scorch marks on his bookcase, and there was debris all over the place. As you know, Magnus is not the kind to leave an untidy house." Tessa explained, clasping her hands in front of her body.

"Perhaps this conversation would be better if we were inside." Isabelle suggested, speaking for the first time since the door had opened.

"That sounds reasonable." Jem had explained, wiping away a stray strand of dark hair from his face. Tessa and Jem walked inside, following Jace, Isabelle, and Alec.

Isabelle wrapped her arm around Alec's waist, feeling his muscles shake in worry. She knew her brother well enough that this was literally making him go insane inside his mind. Though the two had been broken up for the past couple of months, Isabelle knew that Alec's feelings for the warlock were deep. Deeper than anything the teenager had ever experienced before. Isabelle wanted to help Alec, and make him think that everything was going to be alright. But as of this moment? She knew that there was nothing she could do to console him.

As they made their way to the foyer of the Institute, Tessa took a look around the room, staring with a slight smile on her face. "It's…colder than I remember" she admired.

"You've been here before?" Isabelle asked, staring back, trying to remember in her mind.

"Years and years ago. Probably before you were born." Tessa explained, looking at the walls around her.

"But you look like you're my age!" Isabelle exclaimed, looking at the woman up and down.

Tessa smiled, "Seems there is a lot you don't know."

"This isn't the time for this, why have you come to me to find Magnus? We haven't spoken in months." Alec asked, his voice cold and harsh.

" Well, part of Tessa's story is why we have come." Jem explained. "Tessa is part warlock, half Shadowhunter." Jem added, taking a step forward towards Alec.

"How is that possible?" Jace asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion, much like Church might have when he was spoken to and not sure of the instructions given to him.

"It's a very long story, but what we do know is that Tessa can help find Magnus, but she needs something of Magnus'." Jem told, looking directly into Alec's blue eyes.

"What makes you think I still have something of Magnus'?" Alec asked, taking a step back as if accused, his eyes looking to the floor awkwardly.

"Alec, stop messing around. We need to find Magnus, and you acting like you have no feelings for him are not helping." Isabelle said boldly. With that, the woman with dark hair dashed out of the room and down the corridors to the dormitories.

"How will having anything of his help?" Jace asked, looking to Jem and Tessa.

"Tessa has the ability to shapeshift." Jem explained.

"Shapeshift?" Jace asked.

"If I am holding an object that belongs to someone, I can take the shape of that specific someone and become them completely. Their memories, their voice, I literally become them. I am able to have them also tell me what had happened in the past few moments. So, with this object, I hope it's able to tell us where Magnus is." Tessa explained.

Just as Tessa finished explaining, Isabelle came in with a hat in her hand. A white fedora was in her hand with a black piece of material wrapped around it. Handing it to Tessa she turned back to Alec who was still staring at the floor.

"That was a hat that Magnus had bought Alec when they were on vacation last year." Isabelle explained, coming to stand next to her brother again, only to feel him flinch when she put her hand on his shoulder.

"This will do." Tessa said. The woman closed her eyes. The room fell silent with wonder and didn't know what would happen as they watched this mousse haired stranger gripped the hat with her thin fingers.

Watching slowly, they could see her body transform. Her features began to elongate, her hair grew shorter and darker, her shoulders broadened, and finally the former woman opened her eyes. The cat slits stared at the Lightwood children. It wasn't until Alec looked up that Magnus' eyes brightened.

"Alexander…" Magnus said, smiling with him with bright eyes.

"It isn't really you…." Alec replied, trying his best to not think that his beloved was standing before him. "Where are you?" Alec asked, looking to him hard.

"I…I'm not sure…" Magnus said, looking to the floor, putting his finger to his chin. "I'm in some place that's cold…so dreary compared to what I usually am used to. They have such a lack of décor in this place. It's rather depressing." Magnus added.

Alec couldn't help but let a smile curl onto his face. "Not what I meant and you know it. Try harder." Alec said more demanding than ever.

"Fine. Fine. I think…I think I'm in a basement. I can smell sea water, so I must be by the bay. Maybe it is a warehouse. Not completely sure. All I remember is that they asked for me to perform a spell. A spell that I did a long time ago. But I won't do it. I did it for a reason all those years ago. But-but—-" he muttered.

Coughing, Magnus sunk to the floor and in an instant Magnus shredded away as if he was water running off Tessa's body. The light brown haired woman collapsed to the ground and panted, coughing blood onto the ground.

Alec's heart sank. His love was gone in an instant. All over again, he had seen his lover, and in the quickest of instances, much like his nightmares, he was gone again. What spell needed to be done? What had Magnus done? All these questions seemed hard to answer, but one thing was certain in Alexander Lightwood's head. He was going to find Magnus. Dead or alive.


	4. The Letter

Alec wasn't sure how he was going to find Magnus. There wasn't much to go on other than what Tessa had showed him. The only thing that he knew was that he was along the ocean. Of course it had to be the hardest description. He could be anywhere along the edges of New York, or he could even be in Staten Island. There was just too much land to cover. He wished he had a way to find him. Alec, upon seeing that there had to be no way that he could figure it out on his own, he made his way to the library to just sit and think for a while. He didn't know what was going on with Brother Jeremiah and his new lady friend Tessa, but he didn't care. All he cared about right now was finding a way to get Magnus back.

Alec didn't know what to do with this information. He had been holding it in well enough with the two guests downstairs, but Alec was falling apart. His heart was beating harder than it ever had before. He knew this feeling before, but it was different this time. He had felt this way when Jace had been unconscious or hurt, but now was different. This was Magnus. He had gotten over Jace when the feelings of Magnus had overcome him, but this was too much. Magnus could die. If no one had been able to best Magnus before and they had now, what did that mean? He wished he knew what he was going to do.

Alec looked to the ground, his eyes having a heat behind them that he recognized as tears, but he refused for them to come out. Especially as he picked up on a sound walking into the library, he let his composure resume as being nothing to whoever entered. It was none other than his sister. Isabelle was there for him no matter what. As much as he trusted Jace and he would follow him to death, being his _parabatai_, he would trust Izzy absolute.

"Jace is entertaining Tessa and Brother Jeremiah for a little while longer before their departure. They know you will do what is right Alec." Isabelle explained, coming to her brother, pulling a chair alongside him. She tucked a lock of her long black hair behind her ear and leaned forward, grabbing Alec's hands.

Alec turned his head away as he knew that Izzy was going to speak to him.

"Alec, it is okay to love. You love someone who loves you back. You need to understand that love isn't easy, especially with a Downworlder. I mean look at what has happened with how I feel for Simon…" Isabelle explained, and stopped. She had never said that she felt things for Simon other than actual liking for him.

Alec looked straight up. "You, you love the vampire?" Alec stared at his sister wide eyed.

"I didn't say that. But I guess we are prone to being in love with complicated people. Look at our family. Our great great grandparents were in love with a late bloomed Shadowhunter and a mundane turned Shadowhunter. And before that, a man who seemed to have an affiliation toward Downworlder company." Isabelle explained.

The Lightwood name was never revered after what had happened to their ancestors, the curse of being a Shadowhunter, things were never forgotten. "I know, but how can I find him Izzy? There isn't much to go on other than he is on a seaside warehouse." Alec explained, rising from his chair pacing.

"There isn't, but there was one thing that Tessa wanted to give to you though before you left." Isabelle said, standing and pulling an envelope out of her back pocket. "This is a letter they found in Magnus' apartment. It's addressed to you." Isabelle added, handing the letter to Alec.

Alec stared at the letter for a moment before taking it from his sister.

"I'll be back in ten minutes. I'm going to see if Jace was able to see them out okay. We all know how Jace can offend people, especially strangers." Isabelle explained before exiting the library.

Alec didn't know if he wanted to open the letter. Looking to the calligraphy on the envelope, he saw his name written out:

_Alexander_

Alec swallowed the lump in his throat before slowly opening the letter and starting at the header, continuing down:

_Dear Alexander,_

_I know we haven't talked for ages, and it seems that we have drifted apart for so long. I miss the touch of your skin against mine. I miss waking up to your face in the morning. I miss how we were in Peru. I miss having all of our time together in general. I know you miss me as well. How do I know this? I have kept tabs on you, in ways you wouldn't know for I am the master of magic am I not? _

_I know this letter will never reach you, for I am not going to send it to you. I have heard among the mundane that writing your feelings down and then burning it afterwards works. So, I have decided to do it. I cannot know how to forgive you. I love you more than words can say, but the fact that you would trick into stealing my immortality? I can't forgive it, and I cannot go back. I know you said you are sorry and you wouldn't do it, but how can I be so sure? You would go behind my back and do something like to me. I want to just stop what is in my mind, and let it be. But that would be like me asking you to strip your runes for me. I know you wouldn't. Not to say I wouldn't take away my immortality for you. _

_I have lived so many lives. Seen so many people I love die. I have been in love so many times. My love in Peru, to Camille, to even thinking I could be in love with Edmund Herondale. It is all so much to see how much of the people I have lost along my life as a warlock. I would want you to be my last love. But what of this? You have ruined what I have thought could be the best thing for me. _

_But maybe time can heal the wounds that have been afflicted to me. It is strange. Being Magnus Bane, I have gotten all I have ever wanted, but now? It seems that I cannot get what I want. I cannot take the feelings out of my heart in fear of how I would react afterwards. But, there is still the twinge that I will come back to you Alexander. That is if you not find someone else. But with the looks you have, I may end up being the man who you loved and that is it. _

_So with this, I will keep my secrets with the only other person I have kept at my side over the centuries. Catarina Loss will keep this, so I can remember what I will lose and why I should not _

And that was the end of the letter. Alec stared at it. The ache in his chest welled as he wasn't sure how he was to deal with the fact that Magnus wanted to try and get over him, but it seemed he couldn't. Alec felt hope, but he also felt the tug that Magnus didn't want to live like this anymore. He fought back tears as he knew that he had to keep his mind straight. There was only one connection to how to find Magnus. He hoped he would be able to find this Catarina Loss. It seemed it was time to visit Takis and have a talk with the Downworlders to see where they could find this person, whoever she was.


	5. Catarina Loss

Alec had decided to take Isabelle with him on his scavenge to find Catarina Loss. He knew that Jace would not be a good person to bring out of the Institute, and due to the wishes Brother Jeremiah had made before he had turned into this Jem Carstairs person, Jace wasn't to leave the Institute really until they could find out what the heavenly fire would do to him. Alec walked the short few blocks to Takis. The Lightwoods had been going there since they were children. They had the best food that they could possibly order due to the fact no one could see them except for these people in the restaurant.

This was the only place that Alec could think of to find this person. Though the only thing that could make this harder for Alec was that he didn't know who this Catarina Loss was. He didn't know if she was a warlock, a vampire, faerie, none of it. So the worse part of this was that he needed to know who she was.

Alec walked into the establishment, with Isabelle on her heels. The place was not very full for this time of day. Alec looked around, seeing the blue faerie that Jace usually flirted with when they were in there. Alec knew that she was the easiest confront, and so with Isabelle nodding to Alec as he looked back to her for a moment, he walked toward her and tried to use the charm that worked all so well with Jace.

"Alec, nice to see you sweetie." The faerie said with a bright smile.

"Nice to see you too." Alec said, flashing his white teeth. He knew that Magnus always said that his eyes were his best feature along with his dark hair. The celtic in him suited him well.

"What can I get you darling?" the angelic demon asked.

"I actually came to ask you a couple questions. I'm trying to find someone." Alec explained, keeping the smile on his face.

The woman's features faded in a second the moment Alec had said what he had said. "I don't get caught up in the Shadowhunter business and politics. You know that." She affirmed, keeping her voice plain.

"I know you don't, but this is important. It is to find someone I really care about…" Alec said, looking to the counter, his emotions trying to get the better of him, but he held it back as best as he could. "Please, I need to find this person, she is the only one who can help me save the one I love." He added, looking to the faerie with a half smile, shrugging his shoulders.

"Honey…I—" the faerie started, and before she could answer, Isabelle came forward, her whip coiled along her arm.

Coming forward, she felt whip disappear in a cloud of purple smoke. Looking back to she turned around quickly. "Who the hell took my whip?" Isabelle yelled, Alec turning with her.

"Calm down." A woman with white hair said, her back toward the two Shadowhunters.

The faerie slipped back and decided not to deal with the business at hand, while Alec took a step forward, putting a hand to his sister's shoulder who was about ready to strike the woman in the booth.

"And why should I do that? It is against the law for a Downworlder to go up against a Shadowhunter, unless you want to die." Isabelle hissed.

"Well, if you did that, you wouldn't be able to find who you are looking for would you? And we both know I am your only chance of finding him." The woman added, and turned around.

Alec and Isabelle let a gasp escape their lips as they looked upon the woman in front of them. They were not expecting the woman to look so odd. Her white hair was a dramatic contrast from her blue skin which was a deep blue and purple. It was odd to think that she had been someone they were looking for.

"Let me guess…You're Catarina Loss." Isabelle said, her voice dripping with annoyance.

"Why yes I am." Catarina added, standing from her seat and smiled, bowing a little.

"How did you know to find us?" Alec asked, confused by what had happened.

"Well, you see, I have a small gift I picked up over the years. I am able to see the future now. I had picked it up from an Oracle in Russia who had a knack for being able to pass the gift onto others. I knew you were coming." Catarina explained.

"Well, then you must know who I am then." Alec asked, walking toward the white haired woman.

"Yes I do, Magnus talked about you often." Catarina smiled, but then her face went to a frown, "and then you broke his heart. First person to ever really do that to him. He's never been bested that way. Except for that one boy in Peru that one time, but that isn't the point. Point is, you need my help. If you want your love back. True love is a bitch is it not?" Catarina added smirking.

"Enough with the chit chat. According to Magnus' letter, you are the only one who can tell us what happened to him and what we can do." Isabelle interrupted.

The warlock looked disapprovingly upon the female Lightwood, her eyes, a different coloration from what one would have expected.

"Yes, it is true, I would be able to help you. But this is going to be not the kind of battle that you would be expecting. There is only one person who could get the better of Magnus. As we know he is a pretty stealthy man. He had escaped a lot over the years, but as I said. Only one person could get the better of him." Catarina explained.

She looked out the window, a worry look in her eyes. It was something that a centuries old warlock seemed to fear as well. Letting a tug in the heart of Alec continue, he took the warlock's hand, staring into her eyes.

"Please, please tell me what has taken Magnus." Alec pleaded.

"It's not a what Mr. Lightwood. It's a who. His father…who he locked away a long time ago, he's found a way to get to Magnus and wants him to find a body for him. As we know, Magnus is the son of a demon and a mortal woman. This demon is not like any demon. He's a Greater Demon. The greatest of them all. The King of Hell himself…Lucifer."


	6. The Tracking Spell

"Lucifer? You mean like the fallen the angel?" Isabelle asked, looking toward the warlock with raised brows.

"Of course dear. Why wouldn't there be a Lucifer? You heard about Lillith and her powers that had appeared not to long ago am I wrong?" Catarina asked, folding her arms across her chest. "But this is not the place for such discussions. If we are to find Magnus we need to do a tracking spell. Very touchy stuff. We can do this at my apartment if you like." Catarina explained.

"We don't do Downworlder homes. Needs to be a place out in the open, and no offense lady, but we just met you." Isabelle explained, only glancing at Alec a couple of times. She was not the adult like Alec was, she was two years away from that, but she knew Alec was taking it all in.

"Oh, but you can do Magnus' home." Catarina said, rolling her eyes.

"Magnus is different." Alec said, his words the first since hearing that Magnus was the son of Lucifer.

"I can find Magnus on my own, or you can have my help. One way or the other I don't care. I am more powerful than Magnus, so don't play with me Nephilim." Catarina warned.

"Very well." Alec replied, Isabelle's mouth open to reply.

Isabelle shot her brother a look and watched as he made the deal.

"Very well. Meet me at this address," Catarina replied, wiggling her fingers as purple flames erupted and a piece of paper came into her hand, "and we shall find Magnus. I promise you."

Alec nodded to her and took the paper from her hands. They were to get to her later, and Alec was prepared for this. He was going to find Magnus as he planned to.

-X-

It had been a few hours later, and Alec and Isabelle made their way along the streets of the Upper East Side to find their new 'friend'. As they reached a complex full of studio homes, they entered easily enough. Coming into the elevator, the two Lightwoods looked to one another.

"Why do you trust her?" Isabelle asked, her bright blue eyes scanning her brother's.

"I don't," Alec replied, staring at the reflective metal in front of him.

"Then why did you agree to this? You don't plan on killing her, I know that much. So why have we decided to do this?" Isabelle asked, looking to the reflective mirror herself and fixed her hair.

"I plan on seeing what information she has. If she double crosses us, we have Clary and Jace as back up." Alec replied.

"Jace?! He isn't supposed to leave the Institute! And Clary? She may be talented in her rune making, but her fighting? She still has a ton of training to be anywhere as skilled as where we made ourselves." Isabelle replied.

"You think we could do any better than them at the moment? You know mom and dad would have nothing to do with Magnus. It is up to us to find him. No one else would care to save him. He is the man I love Izzy. Would you rather I just let him go?" Alec asked.

Before Isabelle could answer the doors opened and Alec charged out of the doors to the house number that they were looking for. Glancing at the paper, he walked until he found number 473. Isabelle looked to her brother one more time, worry in her eyes as Alec knocked on the door twice. They waited patiently, and as the door opened, they noticed that Catarina had a glamour upon herself. Her usual appearance that they had seen at the small establishment of Taki's was now replaced with a petite brunette. She skin, which was the dark blue as before, was now a pale color which resembled that of a European.

"Alexander, and little sister of Alexander, come in." Catarina greeted, opening the door wider so they could enter.

Alec let his eyes wander as they entered the home. It looked pretty similar to what a woman in her mid twenties would have. It was a very decorated place with a simple theme of Norwegian origin. She had paintings on the walls of different Viking ships, with mythology antiques and motifs on her vases and tables. It all looked very unique to what Alec was used to. He had to think that it was much different than Magnus' place. Magnus was all about the new and what was 'in'. But this warlock seemed to have a style of her own. She had her own way of having her own style on her living spaces.

"Very nice." Isabelle said, nodding her head in affirmation.

"Thank you, I like to remember where I am from, and this is a perfect way of reminding myself of home." Catarina replied. Dropping her glamour, she appeared back to her normal white haired, blue skinned self. "Now, in order for this to work, we need to have something of Magnus'. I happen to have no such trinkets from Magnus. Do you Alexander?" Catarina asked, holding out her hand.

Alec sighed, why was it that these spells always needed something from the person? It was a pain in the neck to have to deal with that like this.

"I have a letter from him, does that work?" Alec asked.

"Did he write it?" Catarina asked, her eyes widening.

"Yes he did." Alec replied.

"Good enough." Catarina affirmed.

Alec took the letter from his pocket and handed it to the warlock before him.

"Alright, so all we have to do is stare at the map of New York. We know he is here correct?" Catarina asked, staring to the man before him.

"Yes, we know that for sure." Isabelle replied, crossing her arms across her chest again.

Isabelle felt like something was off. Why was she asking so many questions? What was it about this woman that made her seem so off balance? She had seen many Downworlders before and this was different. It was too coincidental that she seemed to find them at Takis right when they needed her. Isabelle had never heard of a warlock being able to take the ability of another. Learning took forever, and from what it seemed like, this woman was not one who had learned the trade of seeing the future that easy.

"You alright Izzy?" Alec asked, looking to his sister.

"Yeah," she lied, looking to the ground, as Catarina began her spell.

The woman closed her eyes. She placed her hands, hovering over the map, the letter in her hands. Suddenly it burst into flame, and the ashes ran along the map. But there was nothing appearing on the map at all. Alec stared, wondering why there was nothing happening on the map.

"Why isn't it working?" Alec asked, looking from the map to the warlock.

"Because boy, why would I need to use this spell if I knew where he was already?" Catarina asked, tilting her head to the side.

Isabelle jumped from the table where they were doing the spell and pulled her sword from her back. Isabelle kept the sword upright and faced toward the woman.

"Where is Magnus you bitch!" Isabelle asked, Alec dumbfounded for a moment, before leaping back to his sister and grabbing his _stele_ and whispering its name into it.

The stele lit alive and hummed beneath Alec's fingers.

"No need for such hostility dear. I'm only doing what Lord Lucifer wishes. You do not understand. If I fail him, not only will I die, but so will Magnus. I am sorry, but as much as I am Magnus' friend, I am also about my own survival. He is the father of us all, even if not by blood. I cannot refuse him." Catarina explained.

"You betrayed Magnus didn't you? What is going to happen to him?" Alec asked, his voice filled with desperation and worry.

"The blood of the Nephilim and the blood of a Downworlder summons Lucifer from his grave. His soul will no longer be trapped and will be free to take its form. With Lucifer alive, he will rule the Downworlders." Catarina explained.

"The blood of the Nephilim. You know this is totally against the Accords. You attack one of us, we have the right to kill you." Isabelle recited, knowing her laws well.

"Then so be it." Catarina explained and with a snap of her fingers, the two Lightwoods collapsed to the ground. Catarina's spell complete, she now had the bodies she needed to take to Lucifer, and her employer…Sebastian.


	7. The Ritual of Lucifer

When Alec came to, he felt his eyes flutter open. His eyes squinted as he adjusted to the light inside of the room he was in. Where was this room? He could smell exactly as Magnus had described. It smelled of the sea and that there was also a musty smell. He couldn't tell why he was here. It wasn't until he felt the cold breeze against his pale skin. Looking downward, he saw that his chest was bare. The black ink spots that showed where the runes that had been splayed on his body lay. There was also the other parts of his body that were exposed, like the faint white scars of wounds and runes alike.

His knees were holding him on the ground. He wasn't sure why he was here, trying to move his hands, he was suddenly aware of the fact that his hands were bound. Alec looked up to see that his hands were tied together with a thick rope, no way of escaping. Tugging for a moment, he knew that it was of no use to try and pull on them, but that wasn't the point. The man looked to his hands only to let his head hang low once again. He sighed and felt how stupid he had been. To trust a warlock he had just met was a novice move. What Alec had heard from Jace before was true, love was weakness. In order for him to love he needed to keep his mind off of what was happening.

But that wasn't what he had to worry. Alec, even the darkness that was only illuminated by a candled chandelier was able to make out another figure across from him. He wasn't sure who it was at first, but the harder he looked, it was him…Magnus.

Magnus was not far from Alec's own face. They were about six inches apart from one another when Alec actually focused hard enough. It was hard enough to see clear through the darkness, but he knew Magnus like anyone else. Magnus was also shirtless, his bare chest was flawless. The perks of being immortal and magical it seemed. Magnus had the power to make sure that his body was always perfect in every way. Alec missed having his head rest on Magnus' chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath the man took.

"Magnus…" was all Alec could sputter from his dry mouth.

Magnus lifted his head ever so gently. It wasn't until then that Alec could see that despite Magnus having a beautiful chest that seemed to not be harmed during his capture, his eye was black from a bruise, not the makeup he would have put to go out of the house or for a party. His black hair was matted to his forehead with sweat, and had welts on his face with blood stains upon his lips.

"Alec?" Magnus sputtered, coughing a little. Alec watched as Magnus' body seemed to expand and contract quickly due to the fact that he was hurting so much. He wished he could just reach out and make sure he was alright, but that was not possible in his current situation.

"Magnus I found you. I'm going to get you out of here. I promise." Alec replied, his voice determined.

"You shouldn't have come. You have no need to save me." Magnus replied, peering at Alec through his tired eyes.

"I have every reason to come! I love you Magnus…I always have and I always will." Alec explained.

"How sweet," another voice replied.

Alec would have turned, but his body wouldn't allow it. The voice was male, and making his way between the space between the two, watching as Alec stared at Magnus, anger fueled Alec's face as he knew he was about to come face to face with the man who had kidnapped Magnus.

"Isn't this so cute? The two lovers finally reunited. I think it only fitting that this love can give birth don't you think? Not like you can do it yourself." The voice replied, snapping his fingers and lights erupted in the room.

Alec was then able to see who it was among the witchlight that had suddenly sprung into the room, illuminating the area. Alec was able to see that it was none other than Sebastian. Sebastian looked different now. He was not the same as he was when he saw him in Alicante those few months ago. It was odd to think now that all that Alec had known of Sebastian was tossed out the window. The true brother to Clary, the son of Valentine, all of the things he had not expected had come to him. But, Sebastian's appearance fit the new image of who they were looking for.

Sebastian had Valentine's white blonde hair, his build, but the thing that startled most about Sebastian's change was his eyes. Black as tar, marking that he was the body of being infused with demonic blood. Alec couldn't help but feel sick to his stomach. He knew that Sebastian had been planning things for months, but why had he planned on doing this? What did he have to gain, but he knew that Sebastian, thinking he had won would indeed tell all soon enough.

"Where is my sister?" Alec asked, suddenly remembering that Isabelle had been with him when they had been to Catarina's apartment.

"She has been…disposed of." Sebastian said shrugging his shoulders.

Alec thrashed at his ropes. What that had meant about Isabelle, he had no idea. He had hoped that it meant something else. If he lost his sister…he didn't know what he would do.

"Now, the real thing you need to worry about dear Alexander Lightwood is what I am going to do with you." Sebastian replied, coming forward and running a hand along Alec's cheek.

Alec spat in Sebastian's face, only to feel a blow upon his cheek. The swelling happened instantaneously. He felt blood fill his mouth, and Alec couldn't help but spit to the floor.

"That is rude Alec, no wonder your mother was talked so badly by my father. She would have been his you know. If my father hadn't married, but I bet you he didn't take her every once in a while for himself." Sebastian teased, laughing under his breath.

"Enough," Magnus coughed.

"Not even close warlock." Sebastian retorted.

"Why are you doing this Sebastian? What do you have to gain with Magnus and bringing Lucifer back?" Alec asked, his voice harsh, and his eyes narrowed toward the white haired male.

"Well, you see, Magnus is the direct son of Lucifer, and we need the blood of his blood to summon him. As needed by you, the blood of a pure Nephilim. I am not pure, so I cannot do it myself. Besides, I am always one to love irony." Sebastian explained, "and you two being together and spilling your blood would be the end of it all. But before we get into this, there is one more thing we need to do." Sebastian replied, and walked up toward Magnus.

The door opened once more and in came Catarina, her glamour still gone, and she revealed herself in her warlock marks.

"I'm so sorry Magnus." Catarina said, walking up to Magnus, kissing him on the forehead.

"I know Cat." Magnus replied, looking up to her with weary eyes.

Catarina took a dagger from the table, holding it in her hands, she sliced into Magnus' flesh, spilling some of his blood into a goblet that she held in her other hand underneath the wound. Upon filling it, she walked over to the table where Alec watched her say words in a language he didn't understand. Suddenly a loud explosion sounded from the cup and a cloud of red smoke erupted from the cup. Walking over to Magnus again, he looked straight to Alec as the goblet was held under his mouth.

"Drink it warlock." Sebastian commanded, his arms crossed, his face blank of any emotion.

"Magnus, don't do it. You're powerful enough to get out of this. Why haven't you done anything yet?!" Alec whispered across toward Magnus.

"There is no magic in here. No power to use, I am drained. All of my magic was drained when they took me, and there is no way to recharge a warlock's powers if there are anti-magic wards and no rest is given." Magnus replied. Glancing up to Catarina, Alec could see that her eyes were glistening with tears.

"Oh for Angel's sake." Sebastian cursed, walking over and grabbed the cup from Catarina's hands and pulled Magnus' head back and poured the drink down his throat. "It's done."

"What's done?!" Alec yelled, trying to look past Sebastian's body to see his beloved.

"He's human." Sebastian said, smiling back at Alec.

Alec stared into Magnus' eyes, his demonic mark was gone. His eyes completely normal, a dark brown color. Alec's dream of them being together were true, but all Alec could feel in the pit of his stomach was regret and suddenly, he knew what was about to happen.

"No, no!" Alec cried, and before he could do anything, he felt a stab in Alec's stomach, the dagger that Catarina had was now in Alec's abdomen, and before he could say anything else, the dagger was slashed across Magnus' throat, blood splattering and rolling onto what Alec hadn't seen before was a diagram on the ground.

Alec watched as Magnus' body went limp. Dead. And all Alec could do was stare, tears welling behind his eyes as he felt the blood of his own flow onto Magnus'. Alec watched as the diagram brightened as a white light exploded into the area. Alec closed his eyes tight as he felt his body weaken from blood loss. The tears rolled down his face.

He didn't even get to say goodbye, and now, all was lost. Sebastian had won, and with Isabelle gone, and Magnus, he didn't know what to plan next. All he knew was that his life was waning.

Just before Alec's eyes shut, he heard a loud crash into the room, swords clashed and he heard a battle begin, but before he could pay attention, his consciousness disappeared and Alec passed out.


	8. Almost is Never Enough

_Alec watched as the knife sliced into Magnus' throat once again. His face which was looking to Alec with so much sadness, and then his eyes went wide before his face went limp. Alec wanted to scream, but he could do nothing. Magnus, the love of his life, dead. Alec didn't know how to respond, but the pain erupted in his stomach, the feeling of his body filling with blood. He felt his body heat up, and before he could even say another word, the flash of the white light caused him to close his eyes and he heard the loud clashing of the swords and the smashing of wood. Alec felt his eyes droop once more and shut completely as his mind went blank and the world around him disappeared. _

Alec felt his eyes open slowly, but he didn't do it too fast. The feeling of cushions underneath him already told him he was in the hospital area of the Institute. How he had gotten there, he wasn't sure, and what had happened in the warehouse continued to worry him. What had happened? Was he really dead? Did Magnus die before him? What about Isabelle? Was she dead as well? He didn't know what to think about it all. He wanted to think for the best, but he needed people around him to help him.

Sitting up slowly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, blinking a few times to focus on what was before him. A girl with dark black hair, which was flowing down her shoulders, he could see that she had slightly curved eyes which told him that she was of Asian origin, if he didn't, know any better he almost thought it was Magnus when he knew that it was a female before it all.

"Aline?" Alec called out.

Aline Penhallow was one of the closest things that Alec had to a cousin in the Shadowhunter world. His parents had been part of the circle with Aline's parents and they had been friends ever since. Despite the fact that they had escaped before the Uprising, they had voted for leniency for the Lightwoods when they were turned in, and helped them become able to keep their exile at the New York Institute.

"Shhh," she cooed, running a wet cloth on Alec's forehead.

"What-what happened?" Alec asked, his voice weary.

"A lot happened, where do you want me to start Alec?" Aline asked, moving a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"What are you doing here?" Alec asked, tilting his head.

"Jace called for us once you didn't give word of what was happening. So, we came to where you were." Aline replied.

"We?" Alec asked, his face contorted with confusion.

"My fiancé and I." Aline replied.

"Wait…I need to ask better questions than this…" Alec said shaking his head, he had been so worried about what she was doing here…he knew he needed to ask the harder questions.

"Where is Isabelle?" Alec asked, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"She's been through a rough patch, but she will make it I think." Aline replied, glancing behind her.

Alec sat up slightly to look behind Aline's small frame to see Isabelle lying in the bed next to him. Her black hair lay splayed around her, her body full of scrapes and gashes on her skin. Isabelle's eyes lay in a peaceful sleep, Alec knowing she was at least a live by the rise and fall of her chest, but when she would wake up was a different story in his eyes.

"And what of Magnus?" Alec asked, turning his head back to Aline.

It was then that Aline put her head toward the ground. She dare not look Alec in the eyes, afraid of what to say next.

"Aline, what about Magnus?!" he asked, sitting up faster before feeling a sharp pain in his stomach again.

Aline looked up to Alec, tears full in her eyes. It was then that Alec felt sick to the pit of his stomach. Magnus was gone. Not just for a little bit, or that he was gone for a small moment from his life, he was gone forever. He was not going to come back. Alec had gotten his wish, he had been able to have Magnus as a mortal, only to be killed before his eyes seconds after his wish was granted. Alec felt like his world was spinning and he didn't know how to stop it. It was done, Magnus and Alec were finished. How was that possible? It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to grow old with Magnus, while he was still as beautiful as he ever was. Alec felt his heart writhe in pain. He wasn't supposed to end up like this.

Alec looked to Aline and didn't know what to do. "I need to see him." Alec said hastily.

"Alec…" Aline said, trying to keep him from getting up.

"No, I know he is in the Institute, let me see him." Alec said, gripping Aline hard on her arm.

**-X-**

Alec walked into the courtyard, stumbling as he got his way toward the corpse of Magnus Bane. It wasn't even the possibility of seeing that he was in his former glory. He looked just as he did when he they were in the ware house. His chest was bare, with blood splattered across his chest now dried from it no longer flowing from his body. His throat was crusted with blood and the deep cut that Alec saw you could almost see the contents of his meaty flesh.

How did it come to this? That Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn, dead among all the casualties of the Downworlders that Sebastian used to bring the end of the Downworlders and Shadowhunters alike. Alec didn't care about what Sebastian had done with Lucifer or if the world was ending, his world was ended here.

"Magnus…" was all Alec could say, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it all back. I never got to tell you to your face how sorry I was. I never got to make it up to you, to show you that I am not like all the other Lightwoods in history. I am a better man than all of them, or at least I wanted to be. I wanted to be that for you. I would do anything to make you happy. I love you. I love you so much that it literally hurts to know you cannot talk back to me. I feel your hand in mine and there is no warmth, no caress. I will never see your yellow eyes star back at me, to feel your lips upon my lips again. It drives me insane to know that here you are, right next to me, and yet, you can do nothing. I missed you so much. I thought I would never see you again. Just please…come back to me." Alec pleaded, taking Magnus' hand, and pulling it to his face.

"Alec…" came a voice, Alec snapped his eyes open, not realizing he had closed them.

"Magnus?!" Alec asked, his voice full of hope, yet he opened them to see Magnus still in the position he was before.

"Alec…" the voice called again, and Alec turned around to see Jace standing behind him. His _parabatai_ stood with his eyes full of sorrow for Alec. "The Clave is here. They want you to talk to them about what happened at the warehouse." Jace explained.

It was odd; the roles were always reverse until now. Jace, the strong one who was always hoping and showing such deep emotion that never surfaced, and now Jace, the man who hated the Clave as much as anyone else, was bending to their will.

"Tell them I'm coming." Alec said, and Jace could tell there was something else there, but he just refused to say it. Turning on his heels, Jace walked back into the church doors to alert the Clave.

Alec turned back toward his love, and kissed Magnus' hand before standing up, clutching his side in pain.

"Don't worry my love, Sebastian will pay for what he did to you, and to Isabelle. I will not rest until Sebastian is dead, and his body rots in the Bone City." Alec said between grit teeth. Alec walked out of the courtyard and glanced back at Magnus' body before he turned to the Institute doors, hesitating a moment, and made a straight shot toward his bedroom.

The Clave would do no good, he needed to find Sebastian, and he would do it without the Clave, or anyone else.


	9. Where is Jonathan Morgenstern?

**A/N: This is my shortest chapter, so I hope you guys like this chapter. I just had a spur of what is going to happen in the next two chapters. So, let me know what you think will happen next or what you like about the story so far! I'm hoping I have kept you all happy with the story. Let me know on feedback!**

Alec had made it to his room, where his clothes were thrown all over the floor, not as neat as Jace's was, but it was also not as messy as a normal teenager's room. Finding his room, he stripped off his pants and found a fresh pair in his chest and drawers across the room. Alec walked to his closest and pulled out a blue t-shirt which clung to his chest, showing off his lean muscles. Grabbing one other item, Alec slipped around his neck the scarf that Magnus had given him. He needed a reminder of Magnus, and the cause he was fighting for.

Glancing in the mirror, Alec knew he didn't have much time until he had to leave the Institute before the Clave wondered where he was. He knew that there was a lot that they had to get through in order for him to find Sebastian. It seemed like a suicide mission to go up against Sebastian on his own. He didn't know where he was, what had happened upon the release of Lucifer from that seal, all of things that had occurred to the Shadowhunter, but his lust for revenge seemed to over cloud it.

Alec walked out of his room; his boots and belt filled with weapons, and started out toward the exit of the Institute before he heard his name being called. Turning around quickly, he saw Tessa stand in the doorway of one of the guest rooms.

"What are you still doing here?" Alec asked, his head turning to the side with confusion.

"Jace let us stay, since I am half Nephilim after all." Tessa replied, her cheeks streaked with tear stains.

"Us?" Alec asked.

"Yes, Jem and myself. But that isn't why I'm stopping you." She replied, looking to Alec's blue eyes.

"I'm not working with the Clave; they never care about Downworlders, so why would I work with them?" Alec replied.

"That isn't what I was suggesting Alexander." Tessa said, shaking her head.

Hearing that use of his name startled him, sending a shiver down his spine. No one usually used that term except for Magnus. It scared him to death that no one used that word except for Magnus. Sighing, he rolled his head as if trying to relax himself.

"Then what are you proposing?" Alec replied.

"I'm going to use my power to help you find the man that killed Sebastian. I don't have the power or strength anymore to go into these battles, but I know you and your friends do. So, do you possibly have anything of the man who killed Magnus?" Tessa asked, sniffing to keep her nose from running again from crying.

"I…" Alec said, looking to the floor, thinking that he might have had something of Sebastian's, but there was nothing. "Wait." Alec said and ran to his room. Finding the shirt that he had tossed off, he found that there was a white hair on his shirt and Alec couldn't help but let a smile on his face.

"Here." He said, placing the hair in her hand.

"Come inside." Tessa replied.

Alec didn't normally go into the guest rooms for no one ever visited the New York Institute. It was odd being in here. It looked like his room, except it was very bare for it didn't have the decorations that Alec had used on his room which he collected over the years. Tessa closed the door behind Alec and moved in front of him.

"I haven't had to use my power this much in years." Tessa said, rolling her shoulders. She closed her eyes as she held the hair in her hand. She let her mind relax and in seconds, her body started to take a new form. Her small frame rising into a taller male, her shoulders broadening, her hair shortening and turning white, and before Alec knew it, he was staring at Sebastian.

Alec bit the inside of his mouth, and did his best to not go after Sebastian then and there. He hated that this woman had this power. It brought those that he wished to touch in front of him, when it wasn't really then. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he opened then to see Sebastian cock his head to the side.

"You wanted me here Alec, so you better get started." Sebastian coaxed.

"Where the hell are you? I know you are hiding somewhere, tell me where." Alec spilled his voice full of anger and tension.

"Tsk tsk," Sebastian started and he moved to the chair in the room, taking a seat, folding his leg over his thigh. "So impatient, though what should I expect from a Lightwood." Sebastian teased.

"I have no time for patience; just tell me where you are. I know you can tell me." Alec replied.

Sebastian stared, his eyes narrowing. Alec watched as the man suddenly put a hand to his head and yelled. Alec was afraid that the change was reverting, but he watched as Sebastian's eyes went wide.

"He's in New Orleans. He's—he's planning something. I don't know what. But he's there…doing something to do with Lucifer…"Sebastian said, his hand to his head, before in a blink Tessa was back into her normal self.

"Now you know…I don't know how you will get there, but that is where he is." Tessa gasped her breath staggered and weary.

"I know just where to go. Thank you Tessa." Alec said, and started out of the room. He knew that there is only one person he knew who could get him to where he needed to go. The girl who could make runes that never existed. She had done it once before and she was going to do it again. Alec was off to see Clary Fray.


	10. The Portal

Alec had not been to the bookstore of Lucian Greymark often. He had been the apartment that Clary had inhabited when she lived with her mother, but so much had changed since that day they had fought Madame Dorothea in the apartment complex which was a home to many Downworlders and rogue Shadowhunters. Alec had remembered one of the only times he had been at that place of residence when he had been given the fearless rune and his parents were about to find out that he had been dating Magnus. It was another memory that involved him…how was it that all he could remember now was Magnus? Alec had had a life before Magnus, but it seemed that all he had done was wrapped around that warlock now. He missed him too much for words to explain, and now? He had to deal with this fact in every memory and step he took. Everything seemed to scream of Magnus Bane.

Coming to the bookstore, which was also an apartment complex behind it. Alec made his way to the back door, and knocked tenderly on the door. He had hoped that only Clary would answer the door. He didn't need Simon, Luke, or Clary's mother to answer and to suddenly wonder why Clary was missing and why Alec was seeing her alone. To Alec's pleasure, it was the familiar red head in front of him that allowed him to only see Clary.

It was funny; so much Alec had had a personal vendetta against this woman. He had thought that she was going to steal his precious Jace from him. But it was not long ago that Jace had made him realize that Alec hadn't truly loved Jace. Sure, Jace was very attractive, but he was not the love he wanted. It was now that he realized that Clary was not a threat to him, though he did realized that Clary was perhaps one of the most reckless people he knew, but he also knew that she was perhaps one of the bravest and strongest people he knew.

"Alec, what are you doing here?" Clary asked, closing the door behind her.

"I came here to see you." Alec replied, running a hand through his dark hair.

"Really? I thought you would want to be with Jace at a time like this. I'm really sorry for what happened to Magnus by the way." Clary replied, her face full of sorrow as well. Despite them not being as close as they had been in the past, it seemed that through this, there was a connection they could feel with one another.

"That's what I'm here to see you about." Alec explained, taking Clary by the arm and pulling her away from the house. "I need you to make a Portal." He stated, his eyes staring into her's.

"What? Why?" she asked, her face startled, and her face contorted into confusion.

"I am going to find Sebastian and kill him for what he did." Alec replied, staring at Clary with determination.

"Alec, listen, you can't just go after Sebastian. He's more dangerous than you know—" Clary began, and was cut off before she could finish.

"You mean dangerous enough to slice open my flesh? Kill the one I love in front of me? Yes, I got the picture Clary." Alec spat.

Clary shrunk a little at his words. She knew that she had stepped on his toes ever so slightly with this topic.

"That isn't what I meant Alec. We have gone up against him countless times and we have almost died each time. One person has gotten so hurt. I don't want you to do this alone. Why don't you just wait for the Clave to take care of him?" Clary asked, knowing that it was stupid of her to say as she would not be the kind of girl to let the Clave take care of it, and she knew Alec well enough that he was seeing that the Law was flawed as well.

"The Clave…" he laughed, scratching the back of his head. "No, I need to do this Clary. Either you help me, or I am going to a warlock to help me." Alec threatened. He knew that Clary wouldn't want him going elsewhere for this help.

"Fine." Clary replied, sighing. She held out her hand for the stele from Alec. He handed the crystal object to her and walked with her and she made her way to the side of the house. She took the crystal to the wall and carved a rune. Alec tried to memorize it for his own future use, but it seemed too complicated for him to figure out himself.

Before long a bright blue swirl appeared, showing the Portal that Clary had created in front of them.

"I wish you would reconsider Alec." Clary replied, staring at the blue eyed man longingly, wishing that he could do something different.

"I need to do this Clary." He added, sighing as he looked back ahead to the blue vast void.

Alec closed his eyes and pictured New Orleans. From what he had thought of before, he thought of the different French homes, the places that seemed to be thriving with jazz, enhancing the streets with rich culture and devising a long history that he had heard about from Magnus himself. Alec took a step forward, and as he did so, he felt a tug on the back of his shirt as he was halfway through. It was too late to stop going through now.

Feeling his body be jerked forward into the Portal, he felt his body twist and turn in other directions. He didn't know where he was going to end up, feeling his body pull and tug and almost split, still, he felt his shirt being tugged on by another hand. Wondering who it was, he wasn't going to know until he came out on the other end .Though it felt like hours, it was only seconds before he was pushed out of the Portal into an alleyway. Feeling his face hit the pavement, he grunted and quickly scrambled to his feet and turned to look to who had come with him.

Clary had grabbed his shirt and had decided to come with him on his little excursion.

"Clary what the hell?!" Alec yelled, looking to the dark red headed girl.

"I couldn't let you go alone Alec, you need help, whether you like it or not." Clary replied, staring at Alec with sadness in her eyes.

"You stupid, _stupid_ girl. Why do you always put yourself in these situations? Make a Portal and go home." Alec commanded, trying to sound authoritative like he did with Isabelle.

"No Alec, if anyone might be able to help with Sebastian, why not his sister?" Clary said sternly.

"Of course, and it isn't like I can get you to do what we want anyways. You always do the opposite." Alec said rolling his eyes.

"I wouldn't want her to go home just yet either." Another voice replied.

The two New York Shadowhunters turned quickly behind them and saw there were two others who were dressed similar to Alec.

"And why is that?" Alec asked, staring them down awkwardly, he didn't know who to trust now a days. Many Shadowhunters had joined the other side at times, and they had thought that they needed to be against the Law.

"Well," said the male Shadowhunter of the two. His hair was a white blonde, much similar to that of Sebastian, and the girl next to him had blonde hair as well, but slightly darker than the male's. "I wouldn't want to miss meeting my cousin." The man replied with a smile.


	11. Welcome to New Orleans

**A/N: Alright, so as you can probably tell, this was my favorite chapter thus far. I wrote so much and put so much detail. I said a while back I wanted to do a New Orleans based Shadowhunter story and I kind of added it into this mix as well. I also wanted to add new characters, so I hope you like the Morgensterns as much as I am beginning to enjoy them. I hope you like this chapter, and let me know what you think should happen next! I have a good idea of how I want this to sort of wrap up, but if you keep it up guys I may write more! So just let me know!**

Alec and Clary couldn't help but stare at the two as they looked back onto them. Alec stared at the two before looking to Clary. No one had known much about the Fairchild or Morgenstern families. Alec hadn't had the time to look into the family lines, or to see what happened with each of these families. They weren't just one line people, the lines went on and one. That was how he knew that somewhere down the line there had been a mix between the Lightwoods when they had married a Herondale way back when in England. His family was one that had changed quite dramatically over the years, but the one that seemed to have escaped him was those two families.

"And who are you two?" Alec asked, looking to them, eyeing them with his blue eyes piercing into the male's green ones. It was odd, the blonde haired boy couldn't help but keep his eyes on Alec. He wondered why he kept looking at him. It was like he either wanted to do two things to him, and Alec was secretly hoping that it was that he wanted to kill him.

"So sorry, where are my manners." The male replied, laughing at the girl next to him and took a step forward, his hand extended to Alec first. "I'm Joshua Morgenstern, but most people call me Josh, and this is my sister Leah."

"You're Morgensterns?" Clary asked, having Alec turn to look at Clary's fiery hair.

"Yes, sadly related to Valentine, but he's our uncle. Never saw him once in my life, but I heard he's in the ground now right?" Josh asked, looking from Clary back to Alec.

Alec felt a little unsettled, why was he looking at him? Was there something wrong with Alec's face? He shook his head and couldn't speak before Clary spoke once again.

"Yes he is. I saw it myself." Clary replied, looking to her cousins in the eye. "This is Alec Lightwood." She added, pointing to Alec since they had talked about names.

"The famous Lightwoods?" Josh asked, smiling brighter at Alec.

"What brings you to New Orleans?" Leah asked, pulling the ponytail in the back of her head, changing the subject from her brother's talk.

"I'm here tracking someone." Alec replied, shaking his head, as if he snapped back into his state of being.

"Tracking someone?" Josh asked, narrowing his eyes, looking between the two of them.

"Yes, my brother, Jonathan." Clary answered, looking to Alec for a moment, confirming how she was staying and there was nothing Alec could do to stop her.

"Wait, is that the guy who created that massacre a couple months ago?" Leah asked, looking from Josh, whose eyes slowly turned mournful.

"Yeah that's him." Alec replied, staring at the blonde man in front of him.

"Is he here in New Orleans?" Josh asked, his voice suddenly firm and confident, as if the look he had been giving Alec earlier melted away.

"From what I have found out, yes. But I have no idea where yet, and when he will come out." Alec replied, staring at his surroundings. The heat of his clothes was suddenly unbearable. He noticed that Josh and Leah were both, while wearing Shadowhunter gear, were also wearing lighter clothes. Josh was wearing a no sleeve shirt which showed his muscles, and the scars he had acquired during his battles, as well as the runes he had put on his skin. Leah looked the same, except Alec seemed to not take his eyes off the boy in front of him.

Alec felt a slight nudge on his shoulder and Alec looked quick to Clary, who seemed to look from her cousin to Alec. Alec wasn't into looking for dating someone, hell, Magnus had died only a couple days ago at this rate, but he wasn't about to deny eye candy when he saw it.

"Are you two stationed here in New Orleans?" Clary asked, her eyes going back to her cousins.

"Yeah, our dad runs the New Orleans Institute." Leah answered, who seemed to have been doing the same thing, glancing at Alec and her brother. "Dad would love to meet you. He has always wondered what happened to your mother after he heard that she had not died, and he'd be glad to hear that you are here in New Orleans." Leah added.

"Yes, besides where better to seek refuge and a base for you to acquire your search. Would you mind if we helped you on your search? I have a reason to go against this guy anyways." Josh said, seeming to have a reason himself to want to go on this search.

"We need all the help we can get." Clary replied, stopping Alec before he could say no.

Alec rolled his eyes and decided to not fight with her on this. Besides, if he had an Institute at his disposal, he would have a better chance at resources, so it wasn't a bad thing to go to the Institute. The four of them set out into the streets of New Orleans. It was so breathtaking the moment they had stepped out.

The streets were filled with jazz music, it was strange, with all the stereotypes of the land, it seemed that it was not that much of a stereotype. The buildings were full of French influence; the streets were crowded, and full of very different forms of life from that of New York. The crowds were not busy people trying to get from end of their job to the other. They were enjoying the life around them. Alec let his nose fill with the smell of spices and hot food. They walked toward the French Quarter, seeing a bunch of different tellers on the street. Most of them, as it seemed to be quite interesting, were fortune tellers, much like the ones you saw in New York, but unlike the many fakes Alec had come across in New York, those pretending to be witches, he looked behind the glamour they had put up for their customers and could see that many of these people were in fact warlocks and witches.

"These are all peaceful Downworlders?" Alec asked, catching a few of the witches glance at him with a glare as they went past.

"Yes, they made an agreement with us at the Institute that they are to practice peacefully and to do their business of telling futures for money to the mundanes. If they did any more than that, spells on them, anyways breaking the Accords, they would be dealt with." Josh explained, walking through the row of witches and warlocks.

Coming to a secluded street, which seemed almost like a narrow alleyway to get to, laid behind it the Institute which was much different looking than the one in New York. It was matching like the rest of the décor, French influenced and full of columns. It looked almost like an old plantation house that Alec had read about the United States history.

"Is that a plantation house?" Clary asked, looking to Leah for confirmation.

"Yes. Unlike most Institutes which are mostly churches, our churches were burned down mostly when the War of 1812 happened. So, when the city was rebuilt we had to make the accommodations for it. We moved our location to an old plantation house. We also put better protection on the Institute, so when Katrina hit, we had to put up the glamour that it had been destroyed much like the rest of the city did, especially in the French Quarter, but we survived. That's why it is so awkward to get to it." Leah explained, as they got to the gate of the Institute.

"In the name of the Angel we come to seek refuge." Josh muttered under his breath and before he could add another sentence, the gate opened.

Walking inside of the Institute, it looked much like how old plantation houses had been described in the old ages. Alec had only read a few mundane books in his life, and he knew enough of the old ways of life for the southern people of the United States to know how this worked, especially since some of the great wars in the mundane world were backed by Downworlders and the Shadowhunters had to help fight in them as well.

"Clarissa Morgenstern." Was all the two New York Shadowhunters heard, before looking upward to see a man who looked strikingly like Valentine, causing both Alec and Clary to take a step back, but as he took a step forward, Clary especially, noticed the difference that it was not Valentine at all.

While Valentine had a large figure and very broad shoulders, this man was a little more slender, and not as bulky. His face was more circular, and his eyes were much softer than Valentine's ever were. This man also dressed much more casually than any other Shadowhunter Alec had ever seen alive. He dressed in dark slacks with a grey buttoned up shirt which was rolled up to the elbows.

The man came up to Clary and gave her a firm embrace. Holding her close, it was as if Luke was holding her. It was a soft embrace, one that showed that he cared, and one that showed he was not anything like she had thought of. Here was a connection to the life that she had thought she should have. Not having Luke who was her 'uncle' and her mother. Now that she had Luke who was going to be her father, she was going to have more of a family…that was if these people didn't betray her.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Clary asked, glancing at Alec, who was staring him down, making sure he was not going to hurt Clary. Alec was always serious, but he had been double crossed too much lately to feel like he was going to make the same mistake.

"It seems like it's a family thing." Josh laughed, remembering how he had been so forward at first as well.

"I'm Ephraim Morgenstern." The man replied.

"And my uncle…" Clary said looking to the ground.

"I'm so sorry we never had the chance to meet until now. Once I had heard that you had lived, as did your mother, I was overjoyed and I had not been given the opportunity to come to the City of Glass during the battle that took place there between my brother. The Clave, despite me disowning my brother a long time ago, thought me as an accomplice of Valentine and helped him stay hidden all these years. I, of course, had no such dealings with my brother. He was a cruel man, and being my older brother, did nothing to help me. When he started his Circle, I had been the first to be invited in, but I had told him no. He called me a coward, someone who was a weak Shadowhunter who would never amount to much. But, as you can see, I have proved him wrong, seeing as I am the one who is still alive and under the protection of the Clave, now that they had seen I am not an accomplice." Ephraim explained.

Alec couldn't help but still feel like he was being in the wrong impression. But he felt a little at ease once hearing the story from Ephraim, though it was not warranted.

"What brings you here to New Orleans? I know that it probably has nothing to do with us, seeing as you didn't know we existed." Ephraim asked, looking to Clary and then a moment to Alec. "I'm so sorry my boy. I didn't get your name." he added, smiling.

"Alec Lightwood, sir." Alec replied, shedding a weak smile.

"You must be a good man to stick by my niece." Ephraim smiled.

Alec couldn't help but take a step away from Clary.

"No, no. Alec is a friend. Only a friend." Clary said almost stammering, a slight blush coming to her cheeks.

Alec couldn't help but muster a little laugh. "She actually is with my brother, she decided to tag along on something I needed to do." Alec stated. "I'm here to track someone. They just recently left New York and out of our reach. He's come here to do something. My sources don't know what, but I plan on doing a scout tonight to search for him." Alec replied.

"I'll go with you." Josh replied, taking a step forward.

"I don't need any help, and you don't need to put yourself in danger." Alec replied, trying to not look at the boy's bright green eyes again.

"It's our mandate to protect, and you're in my territory now, you might need some guidance after all." Josh replied.

"It's settled." Ephraim said, clapping his hands. "Let me show you two to your rooms." Ephraim added, and with that, it seemed the topic of discussion was closed.

As Clary and Alec walked up the stairs, Clary nudged Alec in the arm and leaned over to whisper into his ear. "I'd be careful with Josh if I were you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he is interested in you."

Alec couldn't help but roll his eyes, but as he looked to the other direction, he glanced from the banister below, and could see that Josh's bright green eyes met Alec's blue ones.

_Yup, I'm in trouble now._ Alec thought to himself as he walked into his room that Ephraim presented to him and shut the door behind him.


	12. The Viper's Tongue

Alec had taken a small nap before he had decided to go out into the fold of New Orleans to find Sebastian. It seemed pretty simple enough. Though, the one thing that seemed to haunt Alec the most was the fact that Josh seemed to have the notion that he could get Alec alone. He didn't know if he could handle being hit on, or even if Josh was interested in him. Though Clary seemed to think so, Alec was not going to keep that in his mind. He was still mourning over Magnus, how could he think that there could possibly be another in his life? Magnus had been it for him. He had been the man he wanted to spend his life with, but he was not sure if he wanted to think about that at all.

So, as Alec filled the rest of his boots with weapons, and attached the swords he found useful in his belt. Alec then took his stele from his belt and Marked his body with runes. He needed to get himself ready for tonight, who knew what he had to deal with in this night. Walking down the steps after a good half an hour of working to prepare himself for the night, he made his way to the foyer of the Institute where he saw Josh leaning up against the frame of the door. For a moment, Josh reminded him of what looked like Jace when he was bored. Josh had a dagger in his hand, which was gloved black and he twisted the point of the dagger on his fingertip.

As Alec got to the foot of the foyer, Josh looked up and smiled. "Ready to go partner?" Josh asked, putting his dagger in his pocket.

"Yeah, but where do we go first? I have no idea where we could possibly find Sebastian in this city." Alec replied, letting out a depressed sigh.

"Silly silly Lightwood. We go to the center of the Downworlders, we go to the Viper's Tongue. It's a Downworlder Club here in the French Quarter. If they heard anything, they will tell us in a heartbeat…well, that is if they have a heartbeat to start off with." Josh laughed, opening the door to the Institute.

Walking out, the two made their way along the streets of New Orleans. The lights were bright, keeping all the streets illuminated. It was quite a spectacle to also see the lamp posts to still be slightly candle operated, but others to be used as electrical. It made Alec wonder how this whole city had worked its magic for so many centuries. It was all so beautiful. Though Alec and every Shadowhunter would attest that the only city worth living in and seeing was Alicante, the City of Glass. Alec had to agree only slightly, though he was a much bigger fan of the world, over the City of Glass.

The two boys came upon the Viper's Tongue, a large neon sign out in front, which had a large snake in front whose tongue snaked around it. It was quite a display, and to the mortal eye, it looked like a vacant lot, but it was much more than that. The glamour behind was showing that there was indeed a large part that had succeeded. Alec could see the spell, that one foot close enough, and you were concealed behind the glamour as well. A powerful warlock or witch had to have put this onto display, and seeing as the city was full of them, there was no need to think of there being only one person who could put the illusion up.

"You ready?" Josh asked, taking Alec's arm, gripping it in his hand.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Alec exasperated, and with that, the two entered the club.

The music was loud, Alec's chest felt heavy with each bass thumping through his body. He couldn't hear a word that was being said while he looked to Josh who could only lead him with his hand. Alec watched as they passed through a large group of Downworlders. Each one of them their own separate kind. Alec could see those who looked exactly like mundanes, but crowded together, making it obvious that they were a pack against one another. Not far along, in the corner in a booth, was a group of pale faced people who were dressed rather exquisitely in the fashion choices of today, and as one of the female vampires, with dark brown hair that was slightly wavy, her slender body turned to smile at Alec, showing her exposed fangs behind her teeth.

Alec wondered how they were going to get any information out of these people until they came up to the back door of the club. Josh stopped Alec, and let go of his arm while Josh knocked on the door in a rhythm that Alec didn't recognize. The door opened and Josh grabbed Alec's hand once more and made their way through the back, the door shutting promptly behind them. As if it was completely a different place. Alec's ears were still ringing before he could see that Josh was pulling him along again, seeing the hanging beads in the back of the room, where many fortune tellers would use fake talismans to use their magic.

Coming inside, Alec watched as Josh let go of his hand, and they stared at the person before them. In a chair that almost resembled a throne, with a potent smell behind the cauldron that seemed to bubble not far from them. There were tarot cards displayed on a table, with tribal masks and a bunch of hanging dolls on the walls, the woman turned to smile at the two Shadowhunters.

The woman was not that different from what one would expect of a mundane. She looked oddly close to being human, much like how Magnus did, except there was only one mark that showed that this woman was not exactly human. She had small cat ears instead of human ears that propped out against her dark skin. She was very beautiful Alec had to admit. Her eyes were a striking honey brown color, eyeing Alec with specific certainty.

"Well, well, it isn't everyday that I get Shadowhunters in my club. Especially when no laws have been broken." She said, keeping her smile very evident.

"I know Tatiana, there isn't a need to worry about the Law." Josh explained, flashing his smile at her as well. It seemed that in order for anything to happen, you needed to have good looks on your side. Something that Alec didn't use like Jace and apparently Josh did as well.

"Well, then I wonder what could prompt you to come into my establishment. I don't do spells for free you know." She said, wiggling a finger as Josh. "Naughty boy." She added, glancing from Alec to Josh. Alec couldn't help but notice that Josh's cheeks flushed a little when she said that.

The man cleared his throat and he decided to finally start on what he needed to say. "Not a spell either Tatiana. I am here to ask if you have heard anything. We are looking for someone who goes by either the name Sebastian Verlac or Jonathan Morgenstern." Josh replied.

"I know of your Morgenstern cousin. He came to me a few months ago, asking to see where his sister Clarissa Fairchild was residing. Not easy magic to do you know. Tracking spells are hard business, especially when you don't have something that the person has personally touched. But that isn't the point. I have sensed a new power arise here in New Orleans. One that is very old, older than myself, and many warlocks. But I have also sensed Jonathan's return. I have heard from the spirits that there is commotion rising at the old Hale mansion." Tatiana explained.

"The mansion that has all the spirits in them you mean?" Josh asked, narrowing his eyes in speculation.

"The exact one Joshua." She replied, looking back to Alec.

"Very well, thank you Tatiana." Josh said, and turned to walk back behind the beads before Alec heard the woman say his name.

"Alec Lightwood. Stay, Joshua, you may leave us." Tatiana replied.

"Excuse me?" Josh asked, taking a step forward.

"Did I stutter Shadowhunter? Leave us. I have a message from the Other Side for him." Tatiana explained.

Josh looked to Alec, who nodded his head, and watched as Josh exited the room, hearing the beat of the music for a moment before Alec looked back to the witch.

"Sit down child." She said, grabbing his hand.

Alec did as he was told and took a seat across the table.

"Now, I have a message from Magnus for you." Tatiana replied, getting up from her seat and picked up a small piece of herbs from her storage and placed it into the pot she had next to her table, making the stench in the room that much more unbearable.

"How can Magnus send you a message?" Alec asked, his skepticism getting the better of him.

"With my Ouija board of course, and the fact that he was a former warlock and knows how to connect with us is another plus." She replied, smiling brightly.

"Now, he says that he loves you, and wishes that he had told you before he had died. It was the last thing he wished he could have said before he died. He wanted to bring you nothing but happiness, and despite the fact that it had taken you two so long to show that you loved one another was the hardest thing in his existence. He also wanted you to know that you shouldn't hold out on him forever. Know that you can have anyone in your life, that those blue eyes will get you into a lot of trouble if you aren't careful. But he also said you need to make sure you aren't going to be upset by everything that has happened. Live life to the fullest, for Shadowhunters don't have it for very long. Carpe Diem." Tatiana explained and let a smile curl onto her face.

Alec felt tears well into his eyes. As much as he had tried to keep onto Magnus as much as he could, the scarf still clinging to his chest, he wondered how he would ever be able to get over Magnus. There had to be one thing he had to do…and that was kill Sebastian for the pain he had caused him. That was the only solution to it all.

"Thank you." Alec said, wiping his eye, starting to stand from his seat turning to leave.

"Oh and one more thing young Shadowhunter." Tatiana replied, lifting a finger to advise him.

"And what is that?" Alec replied, looking over his shoulder.

"Joshua has a thing for you my boy, and just because he has been with women, doesn't mean that he doesn't also like men." She said with a wink and turned back to her potion laughing under her breath.


	13. The Haunted Mansion

**Author's Note: So, I am a huge Disney fan and my favorite ride is the Haunted Mansion, so i decided to sort of hone that in to this chapter. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you like where I left the cliff hanger. Let me know what you think, and how it all goes. XD. I am excited to see what you all think next. I wanted to add more, but I didn't want to keep you guys wondering what was to happen next and not so much about the mansion. R&R!**

Alec made his way slowly out of the backroom, opening the door to hear the roar of the music and the bass hitting his chest again. Josh stood right against the wall where the door was, his arms crossed against his chest. He looked bored at first, keeping his eyes on the ground, and when Alec came out, his face lit up, his eyes searching Alec's wondering if he was alright.

"Everything go okay?" Josh asked his eyes worried.

"Yeah, she just had some extra information for me about the place we are going to." Alec lied. He didn't know why he decided to lie to Josh. It wasn't as if there was anything he could do to say that Magnus was an ex that could come back, but there was also the loyalty he had to Magnus. He was the love of his life, and despite Josh making it obvious he had a thing for him, he wasn't about to betray the memory of Magnus in that moment so quickly. He had heard Magnus' words, but he wasn't going to act on his words.

"Well, the Hale Mansion is a pretty dangerous place; it is home to some of the most vengeful ghosts in the world. Whatever my cousin is up to there, it can't be good." Josh explained.

"Then I guess we should get going." Alec replied, starting to make his way out of the club, not sure if Josh was following behind him, but he was pretty sure he was.

As they made their way out into the open air again, he looked to the blonde whose hair was now matted to his scalp due to the heat inside of the club. Alec couldn't help but let his eyes wander to the man's lashes which were a faint blonde color that he couldn't help but stare at while he made his way out. Josh continued to keep his eyes on Alec for a moment, smiling boyishly, Josh asked, "What?"

Alec shook his head and couldn't help but feel the flushing in his cheeks and he let a small smile creep onto his face.

"Nothing," Alec replied. "So where is this place we are to be going to?" Alec asked.

"It's this way." Josh replied, leading Alec toward the bay. The way toward the mansion seemed to be leading out of the French Quarter, the city lights moving away from them, and the sound of the partying town disappearing in the distance.

Continuing on, the two made their way toward the darkened area of the city. Alec could see only ever so slightly by the moon's light. It wasn't long before both Alec and Josh pulled out their witchlights to help guide them toward the mansion.

The night was still warm and the humidity in the air was still so thick that it took Alec a couple breaths to intake the needed air he needed for his lungs. How one survived in this place, he didn't know but he had to admit that it was still a beautiful place to live. The bay had many boats along the side of it which were docked for the night, but as they continued along away from the city, Alec could see nothing but the water, which looked black except for the crescent in the middle of the water, showing the moon's light.

After about an hour of walking, there were no words exchanged between the two men. Only Alec's mind was racing. How could Magnus see him now? Would he think it was okay that he saw another attractive male? It wasn't like Magnus didn't do the same thing when they were on vacation in Peru. He had just not made a move on the men he had thought attractive. He remembered them having a small contest onto who they thought was the better attractive looking people when they were in Peru. But now, he was not sure how he was going to be able to take it. He didn't want to move on, he wanted to cling to every emotion, every thought, every touch, he didn't want to picture anyone else…yet, as he walked alongside Josh, he couldn't help but glance into his eyes again, seeing her complexion. It was weird; the Morgensterns seemed to have a certain way of having an angelic look around them. They looked like they were carved out of porcelain, their bodies sculpted out of a Greek god image.

Alec snapped out of his thoughts as he they got to a large gate. The mansion resembled some of the old houses that he had heard the Lightwoods had had in their name in England a long time ago. It had a large white squared shape, its columns long and tall, much like the Roman pillars from Rome. There was a large marsh in the front of the mansion, allowing you to see that there had been once a beautiful tree that stood in the center. There were lily pads in the center of the marsh, showing a small pond that was black as tar. Alec glanced to Josh, not scared, it merely was just a sight not pleasant to many.

"Well, I can see why people don't want to visit this place often." Alec stated, locking eyes with Josh's green eyes.

"They don't call it the 'Haunted Mansion' for nothing." Josh replied.

"Where have I heard that before?" Alec replied, his face contorting with a face of confusion.

"It's a mundane thing. That Disney fellow had turned into a whole thing. But he based it on the original, which was that here, Hale Mansion. It's been haunted for centuries. They say that this place is the beckoning call of all estranged spirits. While they can find any home of their own, they choose here, for the largeness, and its grandeur. But other say there was a large warlock casting gone wrong, cursing those who had been at the party which took place here the night Hale Manor fell, to haunt the place for eternity, calling those who are weak inside to join them." Josh explained.

"Well, I have no plans of dying tonight." Alec stated matter-of-factly.

"No one ever plans on dying." Josh said, so low that Alec almost missed it, but before he could say anything, Josh used his stele to carve an unlocking rune on the gate to open it.

Pushing the heavy gates open, the two made their way toward the mansion's doors, not sure of which direction they were planning on going once inside. As they reached the front steps, Josh and Alec exchanged a look before pushing opening the large white doors, which had vines stretched over them. In order to open the door, they had to push hard to break the vines which had dried out due to not being watered except by the rain.

Finally upon entering, they quickly gripped their witchlights, letting the bright light allow them to see into the pitch black room. Once inside, Alec couldn't help but cough slightly. He stared ahead, wondering where things were happening.

"How do we know if he is here or not?" Alec asked, glancing to Josh.

"We don't. This is huge, he just have to look." Josh added, looking around, making sure that nothing was going after them.

"Let's see what's upstairs." Alec added, staring on the stairs.

The two men made their way toward the stairs, taking each step slowly, the carpet that was seen before as the décor for the mansion was tattered and worn. Getting to the top, Alec couldn't help but stare ahead, and noticed a soft flickering, as if a candle was licking at the air, trying to stay aflame.

"Do you see that?" Alec whispered, squinting his eyes trying to see.

"It's a spirit." Josh replied, watching as the soft light was speeding toward them faster than expected. Suddenly, the soft light turned into a candelabra, rushing past their faces, missing Alec's ear by inches.

"What the hell?" Alec asked, wondering what had done it. The man felt a chill run through him, before turning around, Alec saw a man who had been pale as ash, his clothes tattered, but his face blank and expressionless. He was also transparent. The ghost had decided to walk right through Alec, as if he hadn't seen him.

A shiver running down Alec's spin, he turned back toward Josh who stared through Alec as well.

"You alright?" Josh asked, putting a hand on Alec's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm good, let's keep going." Alec said, pushing past the blonde and moving forward through the hallways.

It seemed like ages, Alec not daring to open the doors, wondering if he was going to stumble on more ghosts. He had learned in his time as a Shadowhunter, unless they were malicious ghosts, it was best to not bother them. Alec continued among the hallways, not seeing anyone or anything in his path. He was about to give up, as he moved past into the balcony of what seemed like a ballroom. This ballroom was lit extremely well, unlike the rest of the house. It was completely adorned in candles, much resembling how it looked to when he had been trapped in that warehouse in New York.

It wasn't until he noticed that there was someone standing in the middle of the room that Alec felt his back straighten. There he was. How was it that easy to find Sebastian? It was as if he wanted to be found. Perhaps he did. But why? What purpose would he have with Alec now? He didn't know, but all he knew was that he had found him. Alec's eyes made contact with the body and as he was about to make a backwards step so he could run off the balcony, Josh grabbed him and stopped him.

"What do you think you are doing?" Josh whispered, his voice harsh and his face crazed with worry.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch." Alec replied, feeling his stomach still lurch from where he had been stabbed.

"Not like that. If you run in there half cocked, you might as well seal your death wish." Josh replied, pulling Alec to the ground.

"Get off me!" Alec replied, pushing and trying to get away from Josh.

"No! I won't let you toss it all away just like that over revenge. You need to be smart Alec." Josh replied.

"And how do you know how smart I am?" Alec replied, knowing that he was not like this usually. He wasn't Jace, the man who ran into a fight not knowing a plan or strategy. He was Alec Lightwood, the boy who always worried about every detail down to the last punch he was going to throw.

"Because…" Josh said, and with that, leaned forward and crashed his lips against Alec's.

Alec froze in shock for a moment, anger pulling over him. Pushing Josh back, he stared into those green eyes staring back at him.

"How dare you…" Alec replied, seeing Josh's eyes hurt for a moment, but lust took over the young Shadowhunter, and with that, Alec pulled Josh back into an embrace, his lips crashing into Josh's. Alec felt Josh run his hands into Alec's hair, the feeling intense.

How could he do this? How could Alec do this so soon? He felt as if it was wrong, but he also felt like he was doing something new, something rebellious, something that was so absurd he had never expected it before. He felt his mind wander as the kiss continued, feeling Josh run his hand on the back of Alec's shirt, touching his bare skin with his hands.

"Josh…" Alec said, stopping him.

"What?" Josh said, pulling back, a devilish grin still on his face.

"I can't do this right now. Magnus just died, and besides, we still have Sebastian down there…" Alec replied, looking past Josh, looking back down. It was then that Alec got worried. He was gone now, the body was gone. "Where did he go?" Alec asked, jumping up and peered over the ledge of the balcony, wondering where he had been.

"Looking for me are you?" Jonathan replied, smiling to the two of them.

Alec and Josh turned around, their eyes wide with shock. Just as Alec moved his way away from Jonathan, he felt him grab Alec by the back of his neck and lifted him from his feet. Josh tried to grab at Jonathan, but he lifted his hand pushing Josh by an unseen force, pushing him against the wall, keeping him there as Jonathan kept his hand on Alec's neck, the blue eyed Shadowhunter gripping the hand, trying to claw his hand off.

"Have a good fall." Jonathan replied, smiling, and with that, he pushed arm that held Alec over the balcony, watching his body fall toward the floor of the ballroom.


	14. Heavenly Fire

Alec didn't know how he had come to this point. He felt as if time as slowing down. His body falling faster and faster, but he didn't know when he would get to the ground. He knew that he would feel his body crack, his bones smashing inside his body before he felt his body go unconscious and he wasn't going to be able to feel anything anymore. He was going to be nothing, exist into nothing. The only thing that he could think that he was going to be able to do is see Magnus finally. He would be in the same place as him. He wouldn't have to worry about what happened with Josh on the balcony, and none of it. He was going to be done with.

Just as the Shadowhunter closed his eyes, as if time was about to resume, and he was to accept death, he felt his body stiffen, feeling his body jerk to a stop. He wasn't falling anymore. How was it that he had stopped? There was no way that Sebastian would have stopped him from falling. Alec slowly opened his eyes, and he saw a figure move to the side of him, and squinting his eyes, out of the shadows…was Magnus.

Alec felt his body tense even further. Magnus had his hand outstretched, his body weary as he walked slowly to keep him steady.

"Magnus?" Alec choked, his voice staggering, trying to speak.

Magnus collapsed onto the ground, Alec's body slamming the remainder of the way down, which was only a couple feet. He felt his back spasm for a moment and Alec groaned for a moment and turned on his side scrambling to Magnus.

"Magnus is it really you?" Alec asked, feeling Magnus' body. It felt like him, he wasn't transparent, so he wasn't a ghost who was stuck in this plane, he was alive still. How was that possible? He watched Magnus die, his body limp in his hands. Looking, Magnus' eyes were his natural cat-like eyes again. It wasn't until he felt his hand sting for a moment that he noticed that Magnus' body was glowing faintly. Not as much as Jace had been since he had had the heavenly fire in him…the heavenly fire.

It seemed to click only for a moment. But how did Magnus get the heavenly fire inside him? Hearing a loud crash, Alec turned to see Jace land onto the table in the middle of the ballroom, crouched in a perfect position. Jace flipped his head up to smile at Alec, before turning back up to see where Sebastian was. There was still the faint glow of the fire that had been in Jace before, but now, it was faint, almost gone from his complexion.

Alec stared to Magnus, "How did he do it?" Alec asked. "Jem taught him. Apparently there was a way to transfer the angelic power into someone else. The power was so strong is brought me back. I don't know how, no power has been able to do it before, but I guess angels can do anything." Magnus said, his breath staggering.

"So what do we do now? Your father is apparently in possession of Sebastian." Alec asked, hearing slamming, and swords clashing with one another, as well as people slamming into other places. There had to be others up there. "Who else is here?" Alec added, looking around.

"You really do have the worst timing in asking questions Alexander." Magnus added with a half smile.

"Just answer." Alec asked, looking around quickly, making sure they weren't in the line of fire.

"Fine, Isabelle is here, along with Jace, Clary, and the girl Leah and Ephraim from the New Orleans Institute. I could only use enough power to open a Portal here." Magnus explained, afraid to touch Alec.

"How do we stop Sebastian?" Alec asked, looking into his love's yellow eyes.

"It won't be easy. I was the one who locked my father away in his prison. So, you are going to have to open the prison again, but this time…you need to put Jonathan inside." Magnus explained.

"How do I open the prison?" Alec asked, hearing the noise above, Alec worrying what was going on above.

"Pour my blood and your blood again over the altar. The symbol that Sebastian planned on using for the spell tonight was to open the prison to finish unleashing his minions, but if you open it up on the terms of the blood I am talking about, you will be locking him in, not letting anything out." Magnus explained.

"Got it," Alec replied, and watched as Magnus pulled a small vile out of his pocket.

"Here's my blood, go Alec, now." Magnus said hanging the blood to him.

Gripping the small glass, he ran toward the table that was slightly disarrayed from the where Jace had landed. Opening the glass, he poured the contents onto the white tablecloth, and quickly grabbing the dagger on the side, he sliced open his palm, spilling blood on top of it. In a loud cracking noise, Alec was blasted backward and a black hole erupted from the table. Looking toward the hole, he knew that there was only one thing that he needed to push him into the prison.

He looked above to see the damage that was happening. Josh was lying on the ground, his eyes closed, and his body limp on the ground on the balcony, watching Clary she was standing off to the side, waiting for the moment to strike, a seraph blade in her hand. Jace was moving in a fluid motion fighting with Sebastian in the most experienced way he always saw it. He never fought haphazardly. He was always intentional with his fighting. He never took a blow unless he knew it was going to hit home. Alec stepped out of his little muse.

"Jace!" Alec called, watching Sebastian and Jace both turn for a moment, looking from Alec to the prison.

"Oh how sweet, you think you can get both of us in there easily?" Sebastian replied, cocking his head to the side.

"Oh I know you'll go easily." Jace said, his face smiling brightly at his foe. Gripping Sebastian, he ran with him and they fell off the ledge.

Alec watched from below as Clary ran to the edge of the balcony. Alec couldn't get his love back and then lose his parabatai. That was not how the world went. He couldn't lose anyone else. First Max, then Magnus, then if he was to lose Jace, he was going to lose it all. Alec waited long enough to see that they were going to fall. He had only a second to get this right. If he was wrong, then he would lose Jace forever. Running to the wall, Alec jumped off a wooden chair, kicking off the wall and diving over the prison. Grabbing Jace by the back of the shirt, he watched as Jace let go of Sebastian.

"No!" he called out, watching as Sebastian, with Lucifer, the Demonic Angel inside of him, and fall into the abyss. As soon as he fell inside, the mansion shook, the prison closing as if it was sucked up by a giant vacuum. Jace and Alec collapsed to the floor, each of them on their back, breathing hard as Alec stared at the ceiling. He had done it…he had saved Jace, in a move that only Jace could ever think of. It seemed that being his parabatai made him a pretty good warrior in order to think of things like that.

"Nice move Alec, didn't know you had it in you." Jace played, punching Alec in the shoulder.

Alec couldn't help but smile and stifle out a laugh. Sitting up, Alec looked to see Magnus slowly stand up, smiling at his Shadowhunter. Alec couldn't help himself. Getting up, he raced toward Magnus, and before he could resist the urge or pay attention to who was around, he let his lips collide with Magnus'. His arms wrapped around Magnus' neck as Magnus held Alec by the waist, pulling the shorter man up a little toward his lips. Their lips played with one another for a moment before Alec pulled back, a grin splattered onto his face.

"I love you Magnus Bane." Alec replied, sighing into his chest.

"And I love you Alexander Lightwood." Magnus responded, chin nuzzled into Alec's hair.

"Well, seems your conflict is resolved, rather quickly I might add." Ephraim replied, coming down the stairs, Josh in the middle of them, his eyes not looking to Alec, and Leah next to him, as Josh draped his arms around his father and sister's shoulders.

"Seems so, it seems a little too easy. Sebastian made it far too simple. But I don't know why, or what could have been done to change it. It seems that he wanted us to find him." Clary replied.

"But we also need to remember that Sebastian was always far too impressive. He wasn't much into stealth once his plan was afoot. He wanted to show off. He wanted to prove himself, as a son of Valentine, he needed to. He was just a child seeking attention from what I guess he thought was his family." Jace explained, shrugging his shoulders.

"Wow, so sophisticated Mr. Lightwood." Magnus said, smirking.

"I have my moments." Jace replied winking.

"Well, I need to get to a bed if this is done." Josh said rather curtly, still not looking to Alec.

"Yes, of course son." Ephraim said, looking to the others.

"You are all welcome to come to the Institute for the night." Ephraim said, nodding to the others.

"Thank you, I'm going to need a rest if we are to travel in the morning." Magnus replied, looking to his love smiling.

"Sounds good to me. I can finally be touched…" Jace said, glancing at Clary for a moment before they looked away from one another, Alec noticing that Clary was blushing slightly.

"Then it's settled." Ephraim said a smile on his face, but all Alec could notice was that Josh looked upset more than anything, despite seeing the blue and black bruises appearing on his face, and the cuts on his face, all of it showing that there was something behind what his words were, and Alec could tell it was hostility to the fact that Alec was now no longer for taking.


	15. The Question

The night had ended quite early due to the battle that had ensued from the Hale Mansion earlier. Once back inside the Institute, the Morgensterns had taken Josh to the Hospital Ward which was also known as one of the studies, and went to apply the healing runes onto the young man. As for Jace and Clary, they had gone to the room that Clary had been given in their stay at the Institute, and the same had occurred to Magnus and Alec.

Only a tiny feeling of regret had come over Alec. He hadn't meant to make Josh feel like crap, and while they had survived the battle, they would be alright. In the morning Alec would be on his way back to New York and soon he would be traveling to Idris to get his assignment. He had been planned this for a while. The Clave wanted to talk to him about placing him somewhere with a family of Shadowhunters other than his parents in New York. Alec thought of it as an honor, and now, he wondered what he was going to do. He didn't want to be separated from Magnus, though he knew that Magnus would move where he was. Magnus didn't stay in the same place over and over. That was how Magnus was able to live so long without being bored. He spent decades in a place of the world, and then found a new one to go.

Alec felt his body rise and fall against Magnus' chest. They had spent the night together, showing that their love was as strong as ever. It seemed that the events in the past had made it not as saddening as before. Alec and Magnus seemed to learn that they didn't have eternity, and that eternity could be so small and could end as quickly as it started. They put the past behind them, and Alec felt happy, happier than he did in a long time.

Alec felt Magnus' bare chest against him. He didn't know how to react to all of this. It seemed to be back to the way things were long ago. He loved how it was, he missed this feeling. His warm skin was beneath him, and a little warmer than usual due to the fact that the Heavenly Fire was still burning against his warlock blood. It was too soon wear off, but until then, he would feel the warmth.

Smirking, he got up from the bed, slipping the white sheets off of his pale frame. Looking to see his marks along his skin, he pulled a pair of boxers over his naked frame and made his way out of the room to go get a drink of water.

It suddenly felt much colder out of the room, which he didn't mind. He had had the windows open, but it was still warm to the point that sleeping nude, which he didn't mind with Magnus, seemed the most appropriate.

Coming down the stairs, he made his way to the kitchen, and was alarmed to see that someone else was there. Not just any person, standing in the middle of the kitchen, with a bowl of jambalaya in his hands, was Josh.

Josh was wearing gym shorts with a black tank top which clung to his frame, just like the rest of his clothes did. Alec stared at him, just as Josh had taken a spoonful of the reddish soup to his mouth.

"Kind of late for soup isn't it?" Alec said, trying to tease to Josh, seeing that he wasn't into talking to Alec, his face was trying to be friendly, but his eyes, his eyes showed nothing of hostility.

"Never too late for jambalaya, now if I had gumbo in this bowl that would be different." Josh replied, his voice full of sarcasm.

"I guess so, never had either, so it seems futile for me to argue otherwise." Alec retorted, opening the random cupboards, trying to find the cup.

"Here, let me help you." Josh replied, coming over to Alec, opening the other cupboard and pulling a glass out, his arm brushing up against Alec's bare skin, sending a shiver down his spine.

"Thank you," Alec replied, coughing and walking to the sink to fill it up with water.

"I'm sorry," Josh said, completely sighing into his bowl, looking into the bowl as opposed to looking to Alec. "I shouldn't have acted the way I have. As much as I like you Alec, I shouldn't let you feel conflicted or worried about me because of what I did in the mansion. I just thought…" he added, biting his bottom lip.

Alec looked to Josh, looking to the ground before taking a sip of water and couldn't help but look back up to meet Josh's green eyes.

"It's fine. I thought Magnus wasn't coming back. But I…I wish I could say I felt something stronger, but I love Magnus. He is the man I have searched for all my life to be with." Alec replied.

"But, he is your real first love." Josh replied, "And there are still things you need to work out in order to be with him Alec. You can't be a Shadowhunter if you ever plan to marry him, you can't live forever, and as you learned, you don't want him to give it up. So the only option is for you to lose being a Shadowhunter. Would you be willing to lose that forever?" Josh said, his green eyes piercing into Alec's blue ones.

Alec had to admit, he had thought of this stuff before, but he just thought he would never need to deal with it. Downing the rest of his water in the glass, he wiped it with his forearm and Alec didn't reply and made his way back toward his room, leaving Josh to sit there with his food, wondering what Alec would think.

Alec had only ever known about being a Shadowhunter. He didn't know if he could handle being a mundane. And there was also the fact that Magnus could live forever, and who knew if he could, there was only one way for that to happen and that was to be a vampire. He would refuse to do it. He didn't want to be a Downworlder, to him, and to his family, it would be an atrocity, yet, he was in love with a Downworlder. How ironic. He didn't know how he was going to plan on going all of this. But he knew the decision was going to come, one day.

Getting back into the room, he was able to see Magnus who had woken up was sitting up in the bed, the pillow propped up behind him and he was staring at a book in his hands, reading. Alec smiled, closing the door behind him and got back into the bed, kissing Magnus on the lips tenderly, cupping his face in his hands.

"Hello," Magnus couldn't help but say with a smile.

"Hello," Alec breathed, and all his worries seemed to wash away from his mind.

"Get a good stretch?" Magnus teased, running his hands in the nook of Alec's neck, noticing the slight bruise marks he had made with his lips.

"Yes," Alec said, smiling, but couldn't help but think of the green eyed man who was still sitting in the kitchen.

"Well, there is something I have been thinking of asking you, but I think now is the time. We know that life is not forever, even though we thought it was, and now, I have known that I don't care anymore about what has happened in the past. The past is only what I thought mattered, and now, I am ready for the future and I want you in it. What I am really trying to ask Alec, is will you marry me?" Magnus explained, and with a flicker of the blue flames in his hands, he produced a dark blue ring, which was only a band, but on the outside of the ring in a golden script it read, _amor aeternus. _

"Love eternal." Alec muttered under his breath and looked up to Magnus, his eyes not sure what to do. It seemed that Josh's warning was now in full speed. He was going to have to make a decision on what he wanted to do with his future not later, but now.


	16. How to be a Heartbreaker

Alec Lightwood stretched his body as he felt the morning come over him. He slowly opened his eyes, fluttering them slowly but surely, feeling the sun peek through the curtains. Alec stretched his arm, feeling the empty area next to him.

Did last night really happen? He wasn't sure, and he didn't know if he wanted last night to have happened. He was so happy that he had Magnus back, but what he wasn't sure was what the future held. After what had been discussed last night, he wondered what would have happened if Magnus hadn't come back. Would he end up where he was now? Would he be in love with someone else? He thought about Josh, his green eyes, his build, the runes that were fading on his skin and the scars that roamed his body. Would he have been his next love?

Alec couldn't help but sigh at the idea of what had occurred before. Feeling the heat from the New Orleans air, he wondered how the people still dealt with such heat. Peeling the sheets from his now sticky frame, he made his way toward the window, peeling the curtains open, flooding the room with such bright light. The heat suddenly ran along his body, forcing him to feel the heat even longer. He opened a window, hoping to feel that the window would release some of the heat, much like how it did in New York. It seemed that this was not going to be the case. But it seemed that this wasn't going to happen as he felt the heat rupture on his body once again.

Alec groaned as he felt the heat, now tinged with watered warmth. Alec groaned and ran a hand through his hair. His hair was starting to mat to the top of his head due to the stickiness of the heat. Sighing, he turned and decided to go take a shower before he wanted to get back to New York. Clary and Jace were on their way to the Portal soon as well.

After a long shower, feeling the sweat roll off of his body with the washing, he glanced into the mirror, wiping the mirror to see his face. Though bruised from the battle from the night before, Alec felt never better than he had before. He smiled at his reflection. He wished he had been able to see how he was before. Magnus made him feel better, better than he ever felt in ages. He wanted to be better than all of it. He wished he had had the self esteem that he had had before. It seemed all the different now. He felt better about himself, he felt his body was worth it, his eyes, his face. He never had worried about his appearance before, but now, not only did he want to look good for himself, he wanted to look good for Magnus as well.

Alec smiled as he got dressed. As he got to his belt over his waist, he pulled his shirt over his head, buckled his pants and slipped on his boots. Coming into the room once more, he had figured that he needed the last bit of accessories for himself.

Walking to the bedside table, he smiled as he found the last thing that he had accepted from Magnus, the blue ring he had used to propose to Alec. Slipping it onto the ring finger on his left hand, he smiled brightly, unable to control how happy he was at the fact that they had decided to be married. He wanted more than anything to be married to Magnus, the details of how this was going to work was another deal. Alec had one last thing to decide, to stay a Shadowhunter, or leave it. He couldn't be with Magnus, married as a Shadowhunter, so that was the hardest part. He would need to leave this life behind, and there was also the fact that Magnus may or may not be immortal, that was the last fact that they weren't sure about. Magnus had his abilities back, but whether or not he was immortal, that was something they were sure couldn't be possible.

Walking out of the door, he watched as Clary and Jace were on the ground floor, talking to Leah and Ephraim, Josh nowhere to be seen. What he was sure about, was that there was his fiancé, sitting on a bench in the foyer, playing with the blue flames in his fingers. When Alec made his way down the stairs toward the main floor, he watched Magnus suddenly stand and make his way toward Alec.

Once by his side, he wrapped his arm around Alec's waist, causing Alec to blush ever so slightly.

"Well, don't be a stranger to us Clary," Ephraim said, his eyes smiling.

"Of course," Clary said, holding Jace's hand, yet they were futher apart than Alec and Magnus were.

"Where is Josh?" Alec asked, looking to Leah, who seemed to not be able to stop staring at Magnus' arm. It was obvious that she was being the little sister and protective.

"Here." The boy replied. Alec looked up to see the blonde make his way down the stairs and smile to his face, not seeming to show that there was any other expression other than one people would show when they were saying goodbye to guests.

"I guess it's time to get going." Jace said, trying to keep his eyes from not looking at the two of them.

"Yeah," Clary replied, keeping her eyes at the two.

Clary watched as Magnus flicked his fingers and watched as a Portal opened from the inside of the Institute. The swirling of the blue light opened up, keeping the opening of the Portal.

"See ya." Was all that Josh had said as he let a small smirk play on his face.

Alec took Magnus' hand and the four of them walked into the Portal. The ending of their story for now, but there was one last subject for the couple of Magnus and Alec to discuss. They were to talk about the decision of Alec being a Shadowhunter any longer. With him now engaged, the Clave, while they were waiting for him, they would discuss his future. Now just his future, but Magnus' as well.


	17. The Clave

It had been a few days since they had arrived back in New York. Jace and Clary had finally been able to be the way they had wished before, and it made Alec feels a little worried that he would have to think that Jace was going to be a teenage father. He didn't think Jace was ready for any of that. But the thing that was running mostly in Alec's mind was his assignment. He had decided that he was going to stay a Shadowhunter. How that was going to go with the Clave with the fact that Alec was going to marry Magnus, who was a Downworlder was another topic all together. Alec wasn't sure if it was allowed, but he hoped so. He wanted it to be so, for he couldn't spend another day without Magnus Bane. There was also the fact that he was going to be assigned somewhere. Since Alec had been such a great commemorator with the Mortal Wars, he was to be rewarded for his courage. The only reason he was the only one awarded was that he was the only one of age. Jace's birthday, which was coming up soon, meant that he was going to have his assignment as well.

Alec watched as he looked to Magnus, reading in his lounge chair in his study. Alec couldn't help but smile and lean against the frame of the door frame.

"What are you looking at?" Magnus said, smiling as he looked to Alec with a look of love in his eyes.

"You and your beautifulness." Alec replied, laughing a little under his breath.

"Well, I know at times it is hard to look away. How do you plan on surviving in marriage with me?" Magnus replied, a ring gleaming on his own finger.

Magnus seemed to always have a ring on his fingers, but they had picked out one together in his jewelry box. Magnus too much accessories, but being eight hundred years old and counting, he had to have some special trinkets that he collected over the years.

The ring on Magnus' finger, which represented that they were engaged, was a gold band with a bright green stone in the center, which symbolized when Alec's birthday was. He was an August birthday, so his birthstone seemed to be a perfect fit. Alec didn't ask how he had the birthstone already, but he suspected either he planned on giving that to Alec or he had had someone in his past. It seemed odd to think about Magnus' past. He didn't do it often, for he knew that it was vast, and it was hard for him to talk about. There had to be many lovers in his past. Alec had met only one, but he didn't plan on meeting any others.

"The Portal is going to open any minute." Magnus said, looking to the clock on his wall.

"I know, I'm nervous." Alec replied, wringing his hands.

"Why?" Magnus said, closing the book and swinging his legs off the chair and onto the floor.

"I'm nervous they are going to tell me I can't marry you. You are all I want, but I also don't know how to be anything but a Shadowhunter. How can I be only one? It is like choosing between two sides of me. But, I know I have to make it work. It did for others, so I think it is possible we can make this happen." Alec said, more to himself than Magnus.

Magnus got up from his chair and walked over to Alec, kissing his lips tenderly and then kissing his forehead.

"Darling, no one can keep us apart. We learned that even death couldn't keep us apart. Don't worry Alexander, we shall find a way." Magnus said smiling.

Kissing Alec one more time a rush appeared inside of Magnus' apartment and he threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

"Of course, in the middle of my study…" Magnus said annoyed, watching the books and papers fly around the room.

Alec squeezed Magnus' hand and walked through the Portal, watching him and let go as he stepped through the Portal.

**-X-**

Alec appeared on the other side of the Portal, opening his eyes as he stared into the Ward. It was the meeting place of the Clave in Idris. He had been here a few times before when he had brought Simon here, and then there was also when the new Accords were being signed the new Council was being put together. But the Shadowhunter politics, the ones that actually had to deal with Shadowhunter dealings, were dealt with here, in the Ward.

Alec looked to see many peering eyes looking to him. Many he recognized. There was the Inquisitor as well as the Consul sitting in the center of the room, with a row of other Shadowhunters who served as the jury as well as the democracy of it all. They were the representatives of the Clave.

"Welcome Alexander." The Consul replied, his face was expressionless.

"Hello Consul, Inquisitor," Alec nodded, looking to the rest of the Clave and nodded.

"You know why you are here correct?" The Inquisitor asked, his eyes peering into Alec's.

"Yes sir, I am here to be heard of my possible placement at another Institute." Alec replied.

"Yes, and to reward you for your service to the Clave and the mandate. We have heard what had happened in New Orleans and we also will reward Ms. Morgenstern and Mr. Herondale. But the thing that holds us back now, is the fact that we have caught word that you are engaged to a Downworlder." The Consul explained.

"Yes, I am sir." Alec choked.

"We, in the thousands of years in our existence have never allowed such a thing to occur. You know this Alexander. Only once had there been an incident, and it had been the case of someone who was half Shadowhunter." The Consul explained, looking from his fellow Clave members.

"But…" said one Shadowhunter, standing up. Alec didn't recognize them, but this Shadowhunter was another male, only a few years older than him by what it looked like. He had light brown hair, with freckles that decorated his face, his hair a disheveled mess. "I question that fact that Magnus Bane may still be a Downworlder. He is infused with the heavenly fire that has brought him back. Despite his mark of a warlock, and his ability to produce magic, I wonder if he is still even considered under the law of Downworlder, or is he a new type of Downworlder? We have never known what has happened if a Downworlder was infused with angelic power." The Shadowhunter explained.

Alec knew that there was indeed a time when angelic power had been used, and that was when Simon had not only a rune carved into him, but he had also drank Jace's blood, and he had been able to stand in the sun. Perhaps this was another time when Magnus was an exception. They weren't sure of what the new found power Magnus had, or lack of power in his being brought back by the heavenly fire.

"Very well…" The Consul replied. "I would like the Silent Brothers to look at Magnus Bane, and with that, we shall make our decision. But I tell you Alexander Lightwood. If he turns out to be a Downworlder still, you will have to make a decision. You can either move up in being a Shadowhunter, or be stuck in the New York Institute." The Consul replied, keeping his eyes on Alec's blue ones. No longer worrying about anything else, and his decision final, Alec swallowed the lump in his throat, afraid of what could happen next.


	18. Downworlder Tests

Alec paced around the kitchen as Magnus lounged, casually looking as Alec as he seemed to freak out. Alec was squeezing his hands, looking to the floor, going from end of the kitchen to the other. He had been doing this for the past hour, since the call to the Silent City had been made. Magnus was to be interrogated, and to be examined. It seemed that Magnus didn't care, he in fact seemed a little excited, while Alec, the one who wanted to make sure he could still have the best of both worlds was nervous.

"You know, it makes it seem like you are ashamed." Magnus said, cocking his brow.

Alec stopped in his tracks and turned to his fiancé.

"What?" Alec asked, his eyes wide.

"What if I am a Downworlder still? Are you going to leave me because you cannot be a full Shadowhunter, or are you going to resent me because you don't get what you want? Alexander, I love you, but I am too old to play with children who do this." Magnus explained, lowering his gaze.

"I-I won't resent you. You just have to understand that I am so nervous about everything. I just want everything to go okay." Alec said, coming close to Magnus, kissing him on the lips.

It was then that a wrap at the door startled Alec with a jump. The Shadowhunter had dressed out of his formal gear and was now wearing jeans and a white button up shirt which was open on the top two buttons on the top. Magnus thought that Alec lacked style, it had to do with all the black he always wore, but he was trying his best to liven up Alec's wardrobe. He wanted him to look a little more interesting than just in black. He wasn't going to a funeral everyday for crying out loud.

Alec opened the door to see the Silent Brother stand before him. It was odd to not have Brother Jeremiah any longer. It was also odd to think of Brother Jeremiah as having dark hair and being able to talk in a normal state. Alec nodded to the Brother and widened the door.

"_Thank you Alexander._" The Brother said, his voice ringing in both Magnus and Alec's head.

"I always have wondered how to use that power you guys have. Such a fascinating power." Magnus said smiling. He got up from his chair and walked toward the Brother.

"_Only a power we hope we Brothers hope to keep. We don't need Downworlders doing things they shouldn't._" The Brother replied, clasping his hands across his parchment colored robes.

"So how does this work?" Magnus asked, sitting on his chair, throwing his legs over the arm of the chair. He seemed to always look so casual and lazy. Alec wanted to correct Magnus, but he knew that Magnus had dealt with these people so much longer than others.

"_I am merely going to see your blood. To a Downworlder or a simple Shadowhunter, it will look like any other blood, but someone as old as yourself must know there is a difference." _The Brother explained, nodding to Magnus.

"If it were that simple, why wouldn't I do it myself?" Magnus replied.

"_It isn't that simple Bane. You must also be able to pass the demonic test. Which you also are aware of._" The Brother answered.

With that word, Magnus bowed his head.

"What is the demonic test?" Alec asked, looking to Magnus and then the Brother.

"It is where they do the normal tests, put salt into my mouth; they do all the things that usually cause most Downworlders pain. For us, salt is one that repels us the most, there is also the being able to mutter the Christian names. It is because of our impurity we are not allowed to say such things, much like the vampires." Magnus explained.

The Silent Brother pulled a silver dagger from his robes and watched as Magnus pulled his hand open and the Brother sliced into his hand. The blood that poured from his hand looked exactly like what Alec had suspected. Dark crimson which seemed to flow quite easily when he held his hand flat, a small pool gathered in the center of his palm then ran in between his fingers.

"_The salt test next."_ The Brother replied.

With that, Alec walked to the kitchen, grabbed the salt shaker, which to Magnus was in the shape of a cat, which was nothing new to him seeing as Magnus loved cats and there was his cat which he adored. The Brother took the salt and watched as Magnus opened up his mouth, and the Brother shook the shaker a couple of times, watching the salt drop into his mouth. Magnus coughed a couple of times.

"Jesus!" Magnus yelled, and he let his eyes widen. He had never been able to say that before until now.

Magnus looked up to Alec and Alec couldn't help but smile. He looked to the Brother with bright eyes.

"What does this mean?" Alec asked, gripping Magnus' shoulders.

"_The heavenly fire has made him mortal, yet he has been able to retain his powers. It is not sure if it is permanent or temporary. He is no longer immortal and infected with the demonic blood. He is nothing but a man touched by the Angel."_ The Brother replied. With that, he gave a small bow and made his way toward the door.

Alec grabbed Magnus' cheeks and kissed him hard. It all seemed to be falling into place. He didn't know how he was going to deal with all of this. He was not only going to marry the man of his dreams, but he was going to be able to be a Shadowhunter and keep up his life. There had been times in the past, he had heard about it in his Lightwood history that there was a woman who was mundane and she worked in the Institute. He knew that Magnus would not like being a maid, but he was just going to be able to stay with him. Alec smiled, and kissed Magnus again.

"Babe, I know you are happy, but get me a towel before I bleed all over my mahogany floor!" Magnus shouted, and Alec got up and rushed to the kitchen for a cloth and as he came back, he stared to Magnus, his fiancé, the perfect man, and he was going to be his husband, his lover, his partner, all wrapped into one.

"I love you Magnus Bane." He said, handing the cloth, and Magnus looked back up and smiled.

"I love you too."


	19. A Promise

**A/N: Alright, there is one more chapter I decided to make for this. I plan on writing a couple more in this 'universe'. I am going to be writing for Tessa, and then Magnus and what happened to him to the point of how this all took place. Then, I also want to add a Jace story to all of this in the same world. So, at the moment, I have three more stories to add. Hope you all will stick around to see it. The final chapter for this story is an epilogue. Hope you all have enjoyed the story!**

_Two months later_

Alec stared into the mirror of his room. It had been two months since he had stood back in front of the Clave in Idris. Alec had been awarded with the highest honor he had ever thought he would get. The funny thing was, Alec thought that he would never be able to run an Institute of his own. He had never thought that he would be given this honor. His parents had been given the ability to have the New York Institute was because of their exile, but Alec had been given a good station. A station of honor that could help him become higher up in the Shadowhunter world one day.

Alec was delivered to be the head of the Institute in Las Vegas. It was the highest place that anyone could possibly be able to have an Institute and it was crawling with Downworlders. Las Vegas was one of those places that never seemed to grow out of style and it was able to be full of activity. It was also a place that Magnus didn't mind going to. He loved going to Vegas, but he had never lived there. Alec had smiled at the thought of Magnus. The last two months of them living here was complete bliss. They had been happy, and they had been never more in love. He smirked, and ran his hand through his hair, keeping his body still. He was freaking out; he was going to become married to him.

Alec sighed, and heard a light tapping on the door.

"Yes?" Alec replied, turning around.

Coming inside, Jace Herondale smiled at his parabatai, shutting the door behind him. Since moving to Las Vegas, Jace had decided to stay in New York with Clary until she finished her training. Then, he had let Clary decide if she wanted to stay in New York or if she wanted to move to where Alec was. Isabelle had decided to stay with their parents so they didn't need to feel of the empty nest already.

But, today was the day that they all came together at the one place at one time to celebrate that Magnus and Alec were going to be married.

"They are ready. You know I always hated wearing this marriage robes. They are really itchy." Jace said scratching his sleeve.

"Sorry for that Jace, but hey, you will have to wear it one day." Alec said raising a brow, "Perhaps to a certain red head that we know?" Alec replied, wiggling his brows in response.

"Perhaps," Jace said, feeling his cheeks fill with blood.

"Anyways, let's get going before Magnus complains that his face will melt from the heat." Jace replied, Alec already telling that Jace had heard Magnus complain already.

Walking out of the room, Alec smiled and walked out of the halls of the Institute, making their way toward the courtyard of the Las Vegas Institute. Coming to the heat of the desert, the brunet smiled and saw all the people that they had invited. Magnus didn't have many friends anymore to invite to this event. There was no Ragnor Fell, no Catarina Loss, or anyone else that he could think of. Magnus was alone, and he had only the people he talked to now. No one else seemed to be alive anymore. Alec as well didn't have many people here. He had his parents, Clary and her parents, which included the still engaged Luke and Jocelyn. There was also his sister who sat with her hair styled perfectly on the top of her head, and she was wearing a golden dress that was fitted to her frame coming to her mid-thigh. The only 'friends' of Alec's that had shown was the Penhallows along with Aline's fiancé as well. Alec turned his head to see that there were some of Magnus' friends who had come to see the big day. It was Tessa and Jem Carstairs.

Alec looked to the large arbor that was decorated in many beautiful flowers. Magnus had decided to plant and create a beautiful garden for them. Alec looked ahead to see his soon to be husband standing at the front of the arbor, with the Silent Brother who had come to see Magnus and check to see if he was still part demon. They had come to know the Brother as Brother Obadiah.

Alec stared to Jace as he took a seat next to Clary, taking her hand in his. They had come to one another and Alec took Magnus' hands, and looked into his cat-like eyes. It seemed hard to think about the idea that Magnus had been dead, and that Alec had seen Magnus' real eye color. It was odd to think that he would ever marry Magnus as well.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, he smiled to his fiancé and heard the voice of Brother Obadiah in his mind and throughout the other people heard it as well.

"_We are here to celebrate the union of Magnus Bane and Alexander Lightwood._" Brother Obadiah started. "_It is an unusual union that has not since forth begun since a very special woman had been of the same fate. Touched by an angel. Now, here with these two here, they have been through the hardest times of our age. We have cleared our time to finally bring these two together under the Angel's grace. Do you Magnus Bane, take Alexander Lightwood to be your husband?_" The Brother asked .

"I do." Magnus replied, his eyes smiling bright into Alec's.

"_Do you, Alexander Lightwood, take Magnus Bane to be your husband?" _ The Brother asked.

"I do." Alec replied.

Though this had never happened before, a man marrying another man in the Shadowhunter history, Alec had found that this was probably a monumental moment in this time here. Alec couldn't help but feel ecstatic that this was all part of a great feat for the time. The traditions reassembled and eradicated.

"_By the power vested in me by the Angel Raziel, I now pronounce you, husband and husband._" The Brother replied.

There were cheers and Alec's eyes brightened and Magnus bent forward to kiss Alec completely and happily. The audience clapped louder, except for Robert Lightwood who seemed to only clap a couple of times and stood with a small scowl on his face. The rest of those involved smiled and continued to cheer them on as they held their hands and made their way down back toward the Institute, to their home.


	20. Epilogue

**A/N: I promised you all an epilogue and while it isn't the greatest in the world, I needed to finish the story. Hope I can write the others soon, but I have other story ideas I want to do first. Enjoy the end of the story!**

_Ten Years Later_

The years had been good to Alec Lightwood and Magnus Bane. The two had decided to keep their last names as opposed to letting them go. Alec had grown to be quite the strapping man as he aged. It was interesting to think about as Alec had looked more and more like his father every year he aged. Now, ten years later, it seemed as if he was only yesterday that he had met Magnus Bane, and his life with him had begun. Alec laid in an arm chair in the study, much like how Magnus did when he read a book.

Alec looked up to hear the door open slightly. A young boy opened the door. He had a pale face, with light brown hair which seemed to shine blonde in the sun. But deep inside the Institute, the hair was only a light brown. He walked into the library, staring at Alec as he swung his legs so both were on the ground. Alec was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt which still clung to his chest. While he was not eighteen anymore, he still wore what seemed to be the same clothes. The only difference now was that Alec's hair was slightly longer and parted down the middle. There was also dark stubble across Alec's face which was close to looking like a beard for the now almost thirty year old.

"Father?" The young boy asked, and Alec let his arms widen for his son.

The little boy who looked no older than seven walked up toward his father and Alec scooped him up in his arms.

"What is it my dear Elijah?" Alec asked, kissing his son on the forehead.

"Daddy is trying to mess with my hair again…" the boy asked, pouting his face.

Despite the boy being adopted, he had Alec's fellow distaste in fashion and looking a certain way. The young boy, whose parents had died in the war against Sebastian all those years ago, had only one Mark on his skin which was done by the Silent Brothers to ward off evil.

"Elijah where did you go?!" said a voice far off.

Alec couldn't help but smile as he felt his son squirm a little in his arms.

"Quick, hide behind the curtains." Alec said ushering his son away. He watched as the boy ran behind one of the curtains and stayed there still.

Moments passed and Magnus walked into the door. Ten years had done a lot for Magnus. As they had thought, the heavenly fire had allowed Magnus to age, allowing the two of them to live together till the end of their days. But now, Magnus had peppered hair, which only stayed that way for a little while and Magnus would dye it another color so he would look youthful still. It seemed Magnus had a twinge of fear of showing his age.

"Where did he go Alexander?" Magnus called, looking around the room.

"I'm right here." Alec teased.

"Yes you are, but he needs his hair cut. I will not have a son looking all shabby. I'm too fabulous for that." Magnus replied, wiping the sweat from his brow. The outside of the Institute, in the courtyard especially, the sun from the Nevada heat was killing the both of them.

"True, but you still look beautiful to me." Alec said and smiled, watching Magnus with a smile.

Magnus couldn't help but smile at him. Coming close, he pulled Alec by his waist close and kissed his lips.

"I love you." Magnus said, and Alec blushed slightly, replying with, "I love you too."

And the two remained in love, until Alec had been the first to die in a warlock battle on the Strip six years later. Stricken by grief, Magnus had died of heartbreak, and Elijah, though not totally ready, had become the Head of the Institute, and was perhaps one of the best Shadowhunters, for he was raised by none other than the legendary Magnus Bane, and the brave Alec Lightwood.

**The End**


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